


Today Has Been Okay.

by pretzelmintz



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Different Backstories, F/F, F/M, Heavy Angst, M/M, New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers, Not really canon divergence but dialogue is different, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon, Post-Game(s), Tags will be added as the story progresses to prevent spoilers, Trauma, Virtual Reality, obligatory post game fic cause i feel SADNESS, this is gonna get self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-05-14 11:46:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14769003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretzelmintz/pseuds/pretzelmintz
Summary: Keebo’s glowing blue eyes shone brightly, and the robot merely stared forward, neutral expression. Meanwhile, Tsumugi sighed and rested her chin on her hand.“Well,” she said, cerulean eyes glazed. “This is the end. Danganronpa’s over, there’s no point in living anymore.” She shrugged.Across from her, the three remaining students eyed her with a mixture of anger, betrayal and sadness.--No one's gone in vainHere is where you'll stay'Cause life has been insane butToday has been OK.--The Killing Game has ended. Hearts heavy, the three survivors walk towards the blue light that surrounds them.But when they plunge back into reality, they learn that things aren't as Tsumugi said they were.Now, they must learn to live normally once again, but it's difficult to forget the blood that was spilled.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Wow! Another! Fic! Why? Cause I hate myself!  
> I've been planning this fic for a while, the idea came to me while listening to Sleeping At Last's cover of Today Has Been OK (hence the title of this fic)  
> Go listen to their songs and covers. Their music is absolutely incredible, makes me cry tbh
> 
> I'll be putting a lot of effort into this fic, so updates won't be too frequent, sadly  
> Summer is coming soon, but with summer comes exams, so I'll be pretty busy eh  
> The next chapter of AVIW will be out on June 21st! Since that chapter takes place on that day, aka, Kokichi's birthday, I thought it fitting :)
> 
>  
> 
> This chapter was sorta rushed, so if you notice any mistakes please point them out!  
> Next chapter should be out soon, this was just a prologue :)  
> I hope you like this! :D

Keebo’s glowing blue eyes shone brightly, and the robot merely stared forward, neutral expression. Meanwhile, Tsumugi sighed and rested her chin on her hand.

“Well,” she said, cerulean eyes glazed. “This is the end. Danganronpa’s over, there’s no point in living anymore.” She shrugged.

Across from her, the three remaining students eyed her with a mixture of anger, betrayal and sadness.

This was the student they had come to know. The student that had survived with them up until now, faced every class trial, had stood by their side with determination, ready to defeat the mastermind.

Shuichi clenched his teeth. So much had happened in the final trial, and his head spun. This was a TV show. A TV show full of death and despair, and the world loved it.

And yet, the viewers had just voted to end Danganronpa. That made Shuichi feel a little better, but the revelation of the students’ true natures rang clearly in his head.

He wasn’t an ultimate. He wasn’t even a detective. He was a murder obsessed fan boy. The wild look in his true self’s eyes had imprinted itself in Shuichi’s memory.

He hated it. Absolutely hated it.

But he had no time to dwell on it, as Keebo’s robotic voice echoed around the room.

“It is time to begin.”

Tsumugi smiled, a smile that filled Shuichi’s heart with fear. “And now, the end!” She looked directly into Keebo’s eyes. The bright light didn’t seem to affect her. It reflected off her glasses.

“Thank you all for tuning in!” she began. “Oh wait, I forgot, you all left.” she then waved her hands dismissively. “Oh, whatever!”

She turned back to the three students. Himiko shuddered, while Maki tensed up, eyes blazing. Shuichi stood up straight, fingers digging into his palms. Sweat began to build up.

The ‘detective’ cast a glance at Keebo. Their old friend was unrecognizable: Tsumugi had wiped his memory and personality.

The blue haired girl waved at them, grinning, eyes swirling. “Happy to have known you! Goodbye, friends!”

The robot suddenly rocketed upwards, hovering above the others. Shuichi’s eyes met with Keebo’s, and for a second, Shuichi saw the friendly robot he used to be. Must have been an illusion.

“This… is the beginning of the end. Time to destroy the Ultimate Academy. Danganronpa is no more!” his voice resonated.

And with that, he crashed through the ceiling.

Glass fell from above, and the three students pressed against the wall. Maki held Himiko close, and Shuichi held the assassin’s hand.

Tsumugi smiled once more before, admist the confusion, she vanished, along with Monokuma.

Loud noises came from outside, surely from the absolute havoc Keebo was wreaking. Every so often, the ground shook, threatening to knock Shuichi over. Maki looked at him.

“I guess… it’s over.”

Himiko shuddered. “We’re gonna d-die, aren’t we?”

Maki nodded, no fear in her eyes. “Yes. Keebo said… Keebo said he would destroy everything.”

The two girls looked to Shuichi, who was staring ahead.

“Shuichi…?”

“No.”

Himiko’s eyes widened. “Huh?”

Shuichi looked at both of them. “We’re not dying here.”

Maki narrowed her eyes. “Keebo is going to kill us. You saw him: he has no memories of us. He’ll destroy the entire Academy, and we’ll be crushed.”

“No! Because… I….” Shuichi stammered.

Suddenly, he remembered Kaito.

The Astronaut had always told him to believe, no matter what. To keep believing in himself, in others, in his judgement.

Shuichi straightened up. “I believe in Keebo. We can’t die here. We need to keep going, for their sake! Those who died… their deaths allowed us to keep on living! We can’t throw away these lives!”

Himiko stared at him in awe, mouth hung open. Maki met his eyes.

“So, we need to keep on going! Keep trying to live! Keep fighting for our lives, until our last breath!”

There was silence, only interrupted by the chaos outside.

Then, Maki smiled.

“You sound just like him.”

Himiko smiled too. A genuine smile. “Yes. It’s what… they would have wanted.” No doubt the magician was thinking of Angie and Tenko.

Shuichi nodded. “Now, let’s go! To the elevator! I don’t think this room will hold any longer…!”

The three sprinted for the elevator, together.

 

As soon as they burst out the door of the trial house, Shuichi saw her.

Tsumugi, standing in front of the main building, waved her hand in goodbye, staring into nothing with those same glazed eyes. Monokuma was at her side.

Everywhere around them, rocks and debris were piled up. The buildings they had been living in for the entire Killing Game were unrecognizable mountains of rocks.

Then, Shuichi saw something fly by.

Keebo.

Something shot out of his launcher, and a second later, an enormous boulder hurtled towards Tsumugi from above.

At the very last second, the Cosplayer flashed a grin, before the boulder crushed her and Monokuma to a bloody pulp, a heavy crunch resonating throughout the dome.

For a moment, seeing the bloody remains of Tsumugi’s flattened body reminded him of…

Shuichi felt sick, but he tried not to stagger, because at the very next moment, another blast was headed right for the trial house.

“MOVE!” Shuichi screeched, the effort to make himself heard tearing at his throat.

They ran as fast as they could, away from the trial house. Shuichi didn’t look back, but heard the panting and running of the others close by.

A force accompanied by a loud sound followed, and Shuichi lunged forward, feeling the smoke almost lick his back.

For a few moments, everything was black. Then, Shuichi opened his eyes, stung by the smoke.

A groan belonging to Himiko sounded next to him, and as Shuichi got up so to did the magician.

“Himiko! Are you okay?!” Shuichi rushed to her side.

“Nyeh… I’m fine…. my arms are just scratched…”

Shuichi looked at his own hands, covered in dirt and scratches from where he landed on the pavement. His stomach lurched, but what concerned him most was-

“Maki!” Shuichi spotted the girl’s body lying further away, closer to the trial house.

The two ran, or rather, limped over to her. A small pool of blood surrounded her. A sharp stone was wedged firmly into her back.

“Fuck… MAKI! Wake up!”

“No… please! Maki!”

They pleaded and pleaded. They couldn’t have lost her when they were so close to…!

The assassin finally moved, groaning in pain. Shuichi exhaled in relief.

But when Himiko helped her up, Shuichi gagged at the sight of her.

Her chin was bloodied from hitting the ground, and her socks were ripped and blooded from the wounded skin underneath. She was covered in streaks of ash and dirt.

But the worst part was her right arm: it was horribly bent, and Shuichi swore he could see a bone almost jutting out.

Maki hunched over, holding her right shoulder with her left hand.

“Don’t worry…” she hissed, clearly in pain. “We need… to take cover…”

“Over there!” Himiko yelled, pointing ahead. Shuichi could barely make out a pile of rocks through the smoke and ash, but he saw that the rocks were piled like a makeshift cave.

“Perfect! Come on, Maki, let’s go!” he stepped forward to help her but she recoiled, annoyed.

“I… don’t need help…”

She sped ahead of them, somewhat slowly due to her pain, and the other two followed.

Keebo shot blast after blast, almost knocking Shuichi to the ground with each explosion, but he kept running.

The space was just big enough for the three of them, and they immediately huddled underneath, sitting, curled together. Maki held her broken arm out.

They were covered. They could hear and almost see the destruction happening around them, but no shots were fired at or near them. They breathed heavily.

Himiko was sat between Maki and Shuichi, head lowered between her legs and hands covering herself.

Maki was panting, but she didn’t cower. She kept her head up.

Then, the explosions stopped.

They didn’t let their guard down, not for a second, but Shuichi peeked his head out from underneath the stone that covered them, curious.

As soon as he did, he made direct eye contact with Keebo.

The robot hovered above, and his eyes no longer glowed. Shuichi stared at him in awe, and the robot smiled at him.

Shuichi teared up. He’d just seen the real Keebo: the one he’d known all this time. The friend who cared for them, helped them in every class trial.

Shuichi smiled too. Tears streamed down his face.

Keebo shot once final glance at them before pressing a button on his chest. His entire body lit up.

Then, he flew into the dome that surrounded the Academy.

Shuichi looked at him once last time. He knew what was going to happen.

_Thank you, Keebo. We’ll never forget you._

Shuichi tucked his head back under the rock, just before a deafening crash echoed, and the ground vibrated with such intensity that it plunged the detective into total darkness.

 

 

 

When Shuichi awoke, his ears were ringing, and his head pounded relentlessly. He felt an ache in his body, and his hands stung like salt in a wound.

He was vaguely aware of two bodies moving near him. There was silent breathing.

Shuichi opened his eyes slightly and saw bright light from outside. He was still under the rock. The scent of blood hung in the air, and Maki heaved herself to sit upright.

Shuichi crawled out from under the rock, wincing as pain racked his body with every movement.

As he got out from under the rock, panting, he was suddenly blinded.

Debris was scattered everywhere, ranging from stone, bricks, marble and glass.

The dome had been shattered.

All around him, a bright blue sky swirled with clouds.

As Shuichi stared into the blue, he knew immediatly in his mind that this was the way out.

The way out of this fictional world, and back to reality.

Maki appeared next to him, forgetting her wounds to stare wide eyed ahead. Himiko limped forward as well, to stand next to him.

“What… is that?” said the magician quietly, breathing heavily.

Maki tore her eyes away and looked around. “The dome… the dome is…!”

“Shattered.” Shuichi finished the sentence for her. “Keebo sacrificed himself to let us go free.”

“Go free?” said Himiko. “So that sky… will let us leave? Leave the fictional world?”

“…yes. I think so.”

Maki narrowed her eyes. “What will happen to us out there, anyway?”

“Nyeh… I don’t wanna live in a world obsessed with murder…”

Shuichi smiled. “It doesn’t matter what happens to us. As long as we’re together… we can’t go wrong. Danganronpa is over: maybe a brighter, better world is waiting for us.”

“Are you sure?” Maki asked.

“We just have to have hope.”

Himiko smiled sadly and looked back at the sky, Maki doing the same. Shuichi’s heart was weighed down by sadness, but a flicker of hope began growing in him.

They’d be fine. The three of them would stay together, as friends, even after this was all over.

Shuichi thought back to what Kaede had said. That had been long ago, though Shuichi just wasn’t sure just _how_ long ago it had been.

_"So, let's all work hard to escape this place together! And once we get out of here and make it to the outside world...Why don't we all stay friends?"_

Kaede would have wanted this.

Then, Shuichi thought back to the other students, the others who had perished in the Killing Game.

Rantaro, feeling utterly lost and hopeless, with no idea of who he was.

Ryoma, desperate for a reason to live, and giving his life for another to go free.

Kirumi, willing to do anything for her country, putting them before herself.

Angie, unable to think for herself, and trapping herself in her own fantasy to stay positive.

Tenko, ready to fight to protect, and using her life to do so, for the one she loved.

Korekiyo, needing to see his sister again but having a restful afterlife stolen from him.

Miu, wanting to make a difference in the world, and doing anything she could to do it.

Gonta, wanting to protect everyone, dying without feeling anger to the one who’d set him up.

Kaito, who believed in people above reason, until the very end.

Keebo, who’d given his life to let them live on.

Kokichi…

Shuichi was wracked with the memory of the Supreme Leader’s voice, and smile.

He’d been hiding under a mask for the entire Killing Game. He hid his sadness with smirks and lies, and did horrible things to conceal his true feelings. Every time his mask would crack, he’d hide even deeper under another.

He’d given his life to try and end the Killing Game.

Shuichi knew that the others still hated him, even after learning why he’d done what he’d done.

The detective knew that Kokichi wasn’t completely innocent. But, he could certainly say…

…he wasn’t the horrible person the others made him out to be.

“So… what now?” Maki’s question interrupted Shuichi’s thoughts. He felt wetness at the corner of his eyes. He must have been on the verge of crying. Thankfully, the two girls didn’t point it out.

“We go through there.”

Himiko shuddered and pressed closer to Shuichi. “I’m still scared… We don’t even know what will happen…”

“It doesn’t matter what happens. We will prevail.”

Shuichi took Himiko’s right hand, and Maki’s left hand. The two girls smiled slowly. Shuichi looked to them for confirmation. They both nodded.

“…let’s go.”

And thus, they walked towards the blue.

As they got closer and closer, the light became stronger. They were almost at the edge now, almost outside of the Academy zone. They stepped over debris without looking down: they stared straight ahead.

But as they approached, Shuichi felt his mind begin to melt. Feeling began disappearing throughout his body.

The thoughts in his head had stopped abruptly the moment they stepped outside the dome. He couldn’t feel the hands in his anymore. The ringing in his ears ceased.

Everything was white.

 

 

 

The last thing Shuichi was aware of was lurching forward and one green and one red eye looking over him.

The white in his mind turned to black.


	2. Friends Tell me it's Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi finds himself in an unfamiliar environment, and everything he thought he knew is turned upside down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SLIGHT TW FOR: PANIC ATTACK
> 
> boom boom pow i wrote this all in one day  
> so now that this one is posted, next chapter will take longer
> 
> I'm surprised by how many hits this got! I'm glad people enjoy my work :)
> 
> If you have any questions, feel free to ask!  
> I hope you like this! :D

“So… now that you know about us, Shuichi… you must die!”

Kokichi yelled the last word, scaring the detective and making him flinch.

“H-hey, wait!” Shuichi stammered, slightly annoyed. “You _told_ me! I didn’t even ask!”

Kokichi looked thoughtful for a second, then widened his eyes. “Oh, right! Whoops, I’m such a ditz!” he said, clearly faking it. Shuichi narrowed his eyes.

This boy was an enigma, to say the least. From what Shuichi had seen of him so far, he was a mischievous liar and prankster that just loved to make things more complicated for everyone else. Especially Shuichi.

“Well, since I messed up, I guess I’ll let you live for now. I’ll kill you eventually, though!”

Just talking to Kokichi gave Shuichi a headache. “Are you… serious?” he said, exasperation evident in his voice.

“Yep! For realises! I hate lies and jokes!” he answered.

It took about a millisecond for him to contradict himself.

“…Just kidding! I lied again!”

With that, he sprinted across the courtyard and disappeared from Shuichi’s view, leaving the detective alone and completely confused.

The detective sighed and put a hand to his head. Talking with Kokichi had made him so tired he practically needed a nap.

Though, there was something… interesting about Kokichi. His odd way of speaking, his constant lying, the way he looked at Shuichi, practically everything about him.

Shuichi was especially interested in this supposed “secret evil organization” he led. That might be a lie, too, and most likely was, but he was the Ultimate Supreme Leader. He must have earned that title somehow.

Shuichi, being a detective, was usually able to read other people very well. But he had nothing on Kokichi. The boy was unreadable.

But the detective was determined to find out more, even if his head pounded every time he spoke to him.

One day, he would understand Kokichi.

 

 

Shuichi’s eyes cracked open slightly, and he was vaguely aware of white walls surrounding him. Feeling gradually returned to his body.

Shuichi’s eyes moved around the room, taking in his surroundings as his vision returned. He was in a bed, in a small room. There was a thin blanket covering his body, and a pillow that was inclined upwards, where Shuichi rested his head.

Next to the bed was a table. A black hat was set on it. _Shuichi’s_ black hat.

The detective hadn’t seen that hat in a while. He’d stopped wearing it the day after Kaede’s execution, to show he wouldn’t be afraid to meet other people’s eyes anymore.

Shuichi was confused as to why the hat was there, but he shrugged it off. He was more interested in just _where_ he was.

Clearly, he was not in his room, back at the Academy. The way this place was set up, it was almost like a hospital room, but way more isolated.

A white door faced Shuichi. Nobody else was in the room.

_Am I dreaming?_

Memories slowly returned to him.

Tsumugi’s laughter. The explosions. Keebo’s sacrifice. The shattered dome. The blue sky.

Shuichi remembered walking out of the Academy, but his memory cut off what happened after they’d stepped out.

Was he in the real world now?

The idea made Shuichi both excited and terrified. But why was he stuck in this bed? Why was he here?

Just then, the white door opened and someone walked in.

They were a relatively short girl, with tanned skin and brown hair, with a twisted ponytail tied upwards. She seemed a bit older than him. She wore a green vest over a white shirt and tie, with long brown pants. She ran over to Shuichi’s side, and the detective saw her widened bright blue eyes.

“You’re awake! Wonderful!” she said, in a high-pitched voice. “Mikan said you showed no signs of sensitivity anywhere, which is good.”

Shuichi had no idea what she was talking about. He tried to speak, but his voice was gone.

The girl looked at him, concerned. “If you want, you can go to see the others. Only if you’re ready. Can you stand?”

_The others?_

Shuichi was confused, but he nodded. The girl helped him stand, taking one of his arms around her back to support him.

“Good, good!” she said happily. “Let’s get you going. I’m Aoi Asahina, by the way. Just call me Hina!”

 

 

Hina practically carried him out of the room. The feeling in Shuichi’s legs hadn’t returned completely, and every step made his feet feel like static.

The walk lasted for a few minutes, until they stopped in front of a room with no door. Talking could be heard from the inside. Shuichi was too dizzy to try and make out what they were saying.

“Are you okay? Do you still need support?” Hina asked him. Shuichi thought for a moment, before he shook his head.

Hina beamed. “Okay. I’ll be letting go, now.”

The girl moved his arm off her back and Shuichi tried not to stagger. He held himself upwards. Hina, pleased, motioned for him to enter the room, and Shuichi complied, feet still feeling numb.

When Shuichi walked into the room, he saw it was a nice lounge. Against the wall of the entrance was a table with pitchers of juice and a water dispenser, with stacks of plastic cups. There was a plate of crackers and fruits, along with other snacks. The walls were dark turquoise, and there were about 3 small, round tables with chairs around the room. A plaque was put on the wall, but Shuichi didn’t put in the effort to read it.

A long, white sofa curled around a coffee table at the far end. The pillows all varied: Some were the same colour as the wall, others were white, and some were a mix of both. A carpet was laid out underneath the sofa and coffee table, a fluffy white one. The floor itself was made of pale brown wood. There were three people in the room: Two were on the sofa, once was standing up next to them.

But Shuichi gasped when he saw the two people sat on the sofa. They turned around at the sound, and they gasped in turn.

Maki and Himiko.

Shuichi forgot the condition his legs were in. He ran towards them, and they got up as well. The three collided in a hug.

"Guys! You're actually here!" yelled Shuichi. The two girls said nothing: just hugged him back.

The other person in the room cried out in fear. The three separated, and Shuichi saw a girl with long, purple hair and a bandage on her left arm. She wore a nurse’s apron. Her purple-ish brown eyes were widened, and she trembled.

“M-Maki! You n-need to be careful! You’re too sensitive t-to move around l-like that right now!” she said in a meek but loud voice.

Maki looked at Shuichi and reluctantly headed back to the couch, where the other girl gently took her right arm and examined it. She sighed in relief after checking it.

Shuichi and Himiko went to sit on the couch next to her, each of them taking opposite sides. When they did, the nurse excused herself white a mumbled and headed out of the lounge.

Hina, who had been waiting at the entrance, waved at them.

“I’ll leave you to talk amongst yourselves. They’ll be people here in a bit, to answer your questions. If you need anything, just press the button the wall here.” she indicated a button on the wall with the words _Assistance Required_ under it. “See you!”

Then, she left. The three of them were now alone.

“Who was that?” was the first thing Shuichi said. “The nurse, I mean.”

“Oh, that was Mikan.” Maki answered. “She was just looking after me. She’s been doing that since I woke up.”

Shuichi glanced at her right arm. Contrary to it’s condition after the explosion, it wasn’t horribly broken.

“Your arm…”

Maki looked at it. “Yeah, it’s fine now. But Mikan kept saying, ‘ _it might be sensitive so be careful with it, we don’t want you getting hurt_ , but I have no idea what she means.”

Shuichi blinked. “All your wounds are gone…”

“Yeah. Although, my arm still hurts when it gets touched, and there’s a stinging feeling in my back from when that stone got wedged in.”

Shuichi was even more confused now. He had lots of questions. “How long have you guys been awake?”

Himiko spoke up. “I was up first, Maki joined me in here not too long after. Thirty minutes later, you arrived.” she yawned. “I was woken up by some guy with a scar over his eyes. He was almost as short as me.”

Shuichi nodded. “And… where are we?”

Silence. The two girls looked at each other, then back to Shuichi.

“Well… this is a lounge… but other than that…” Himiko looked to Maki for an answer, but the assassin shook her head.

“Honestly? I have no clue.” Maki said flatly. “I tried asking, but they said someone will be coming to answer all our questions.”

“Nyeh, but we’re all here, and we remember the killing game. Did we die? Maybe we’re in the afterlife, the once Angie always talked about.” Saying the artist’s name made Himiko’s eyes droop sadly.

“I… highly doubt that. This feels… real.” Shuichi looked away.

Maki growled. “I hate feeling so confused. We were walking towards the blue sky, and the next thing I know I’m being coddled by a complete stranger in a place I’ve never seen before.”

Shuichi closed his eyes. “Well… at least we’re together. And, at the moment, it doesn’t seem like we’re in danger.”

Himiko looked up to the ceiling. Maki turned to stare at the wall.

Just then, two people entered the lounge. Alerted by the sound of their footsteps, the three whirled around to see who had come in.

One was a short boy, seemingly only a year or two older than them. His hair was short, spiky and pale brown, with a strand sticking out on top of his head. He was wearing a suit and tie; his eyes were a soft green.

The other was a girl of likely the same age, with long, lavender hair tied in a long ponytail. She wore a white blouse and greenish-black jacket, and a purple skirt. Her hands were gloved. Her eyes were purple and were serious and intelligent. That was how Shuichi had read her, though.

“Glad to see you’re all awake.” said the boy, taking a seat on a chair close to the couch. The girl did the same.

The three eyed them with a mixture of curiosity and distrust. The boy spoke again, leaning forward towards them with his hands on his lap.

“I’m Makoto Naegi, a member of the Future Foundation. This,” he looked at the girl, “is Kyoko Kirigiri, head of the 14th division of Future Foundation.”

Kyoko just nodded in greeting. The three students said nothing.

“We’re here to answer any questions you may have. But first, we have to talk to you about the Killing Game.”

 _That_ caused a reaction among the three of them.

“How- how did you-” Shuichi stammered.

“We’ll explain everything to you.” Kyoko said, voice stern. “But you must understand, what we’re about to say might shock you immensely. Are you prepared?”

Shuichi wanted answers the moment he woke up. Now, he was about to get them, but he wasn’t so sure anymore.

Nevertheless, the three of them nodded. It was now or never. Kyoko dipped her head.

“Alright. We’ll be explaining everything in one go. If you have questions, you can ask afterwards.”

Kyoko looked to Makoto, who nodded. She took a deep breath.

 

 

“Tsumugi told you many things during that trial. She said you were part of a TV show, you were fictional characters, you yourself auditioned to be in said TV show, and that the person you currently are was nothing like the real you. Yes?”

They all nodded. Shuichi had a horrible feeling in his stomach.

“Well… you can disregard most of that. You were in a TV show; however, you didn’t audition, and who you currently are is the real you, even before the Killing Game.”

The three of them froze. Shuichi’s heart dropped. Makoto picked up where she left off.

“You were put in Danganronpa’s 53rd season against your will. That’s how it always is. They take Ultimates, and force them into a Killing Game. None of you signed up for it yourselves. A contract was signed with your legal guardian to allow you to participate… well, some of you. Others were kidnapped.”

Complete silence.

“We’re in Team Danganronpa’s main building right now. After leaving the Academy, you woke up here, because you passed the End Zone. There’s nothing after that point, so you were brought back to reality.”

Kyoko continued. “The Killing Game took place in the Virtual World. Nothing you saw in there was real: your consciousness was put into the simulation of a Killing Game. That is how Team Danganronpa does it.”

She looked to Makoto, who carried on. “Of course, putting participants into a real Killing Game, where people actually died for real would be completely illegal. So, the Virtual World was invented to have Killing Game’s with no actual de-”

Shuichi couldn’t stop himself from interrupting. His voice, full of desperation, squeaked. “No death?! What do you mean no death?! Does that mean-”

Kyoko cut him off, staring right at him. “Yes. All those who died in the Killing Game are alive in the real world.”

 

 

Shuichi didn’t yell. He didn’t cry. He just stared, dumbfounded, at Kyoko and Makoto. Maki’s gaze darkened. Himiko trembled. Makoto continued, looking at the three students with pity.

“You three woke up instantly, because you survived. There was no damage to fix. However, those who died in the simulation take time to return to the real world, as their conscience was damaged. Healing must be done before they return, or else they’ll return mentally unstable.”

Makoto looked at Kyoko, who nodded. Makoto turned back to the three.

“That was a basic run through. Are you feeling okay?”

This time, they took no time to answer.

“Does it LOOK like we’re fucking okay?!” Maki screeched, red eyes blazing with anger. Her loud voice didn’t affect Kyoko, but Makoto looked down sadly.

Shuichi bared his teeth. “I can’t… I can’t handle this…”

Himiko cried, and curled into a ball on the sofa.

Kyoko’s expression didn’t waver. “We understand. But, I will give you some reassurance. You are all safe. No harm will come to you. Not here, not anywhere. Also, your friends are alive. And, because you survived Danganronpa, you’ll receive more money than a teenager could ever need.” her voice was dull.

“Money…?” Shuichi said, staring into nothingness. “I don’t care. I want my friends back.”

Makoto smiled. “And you will get them back.”

“But… hey!” Himiko suddenly said, bolted up from where she had been crying. “We ended Danganronpa! So what happens now?”

Makoto’s smile dropped. Kyoko looked down.

“…Tsumugi also lied about that.” said Makoto. “Danganronpa doesn’t end. As long as Ultimates stay around and past participants stay alive, it’ll keep on going. The supposed end of Danganronpa was in the script: the entire final trial was planned. That is why most of what Tsumugi said was a lie.”

The light in Himiko’s eyes died. She slumped against the couch.

Kyoko closed her eyes. “I understand how you feel. I felt the same, when I was in your place.”

Shuichi looked up. “Huh…?”

“I was also a participant of Danganronpa, in it’s 51st season two years ago.”

Shuichi thought for a moment.

Then, the last trial came rushing back.

“YOU!” he suddenly yelled, scaring both Maki and Himiko. “I recognize you both now! And Mikan and Hina! Tsumugi cosplayed as you!”

Maki and Himiko gasped. Surely, they also recognized them.

Makoto nodded. “You’re absolutely right.”

“But… you’re fictional! Tsumugi can only cosplay fictional characters, because cospox-”

Kyoko groaned. “Ugh. Cospox. The Danganronpa writers were so lazy this time around… Tsumugi faked the cospox. She can cosplay whoever she wants, fictional or not.

“Ah…” Shuichi started. He lowered his voice, slightly embarrassed. “…that makes sense.”

“…speaking of Tsumugi,” began Maki, “she’ll be waking up too, right? She’s a member of Team Danganronpa, so what will happen to her?”

“Oh, I forgot to explain that.” Makoto said. “Team Danganronpa randomly selects one of the chosen students and makes them the Mastermind in the Virtual World. Tsumugi, in reality, is just an Ultimate Cosplayer that was written to be the Mastermind. She isn’t part of team Danganronpa.”

“Dammit…” Maki growled under her breath. “How many lies are they telling us?!” she muttered.

The two Future Foundation members were quiet for a while, allowing the three students to lose themselves in their thoughts. I was a few minutes later that Kyoko cleared her throat and stood up.

“Well, that’ll be it for now. For the time being, you will be staying here, in this building. Future Foundation comes along after every season to take care of the participants, until all have returned to the real world. We’ll be around, along with some others. There are 32 of us here, in Future Foundation, that participated in either the 51st or the 52nd season. We’ll be around to help you.”

Makoto stood up as well. “You’ll be sleeping in the room you woke up in. If you need anything, we’ll be happy to assist you. Goodbye, and we wish you a swift recovery.”

Stepping towards the doorway of the lounge, they cast a final glance at the three of them, eyes unreadable. Then, they were gone.

“Fuck them… dropping a bomb of information like that and then leaving us like this…” Maki hissed once they had left.

Shuichi looked at her sadly. “Our friends are alive… but everything we thought we knew was a lie…”

Himiko sighed. “What a pain…”

Shuichi tried to have hope. He’d see his friends again.

But even with the thought of seeing them again, he felt it impossible to feel any happiness.

He hated it.

He hated the Killing Game. He hated Danganronpa.

They’d taken him away from living a real life.

 

 

It took a while for Shuichi to warm up to the other Future Foundation members.

There were some he liked right off the bat. Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess, was very kind to him. Mikan was impossible to hate. Hina’s bright personality even managed to perk him up sometimes.

Some took a while to get used to. Kazuichi could be annoying at times, as could Hiro. Hifumi’s never ending talk about anime reminded Shuichi too much of Tsumugi.

Then, there were some Shuichi couldn’t stand. Byakuya was just about the most arrogant prick he’d ever met, Teruteru spoke exclusively in innuendos, and Celeste was completely unreadable.

“Your mental state seems to be wavering.” standing next to the bed was Miaya Gekkogahara, Ultimate Therapist. She’d been checking up on Shuichi’s mental health every day. Shuichi liked her. Unlike everyone else, she didn’t have an eccentric personality.

The therapist looked at him. “Now, time for some questions. No need to answer in words, if you’re unable. Did you eat today?”

Shuichi nodded.

“Have you gotten out of bed for at least fifteen minutes?”

Shuichi nodded.

“Have you been feeling sudden and intense sadness, or hopelessness?”

Shuichi was still for a moment, then he shook his head. Miaya smiled.

“You’re doing so well, Shuichi. You’ll be out of here in no time.” she beamed. “Now, here’s your exercise for the day: take a nice stroll in the garden outside. This’ll be the first time you go outside since you woke up. Do you think you can do it?”

Shuichi nodded. The therapist looked pleased. “Wonderful. Fresh air is good for your health. Do you need help finding you way?”

Shuichi pushed himself out of the bed as he shook his head. Miaya escorted him out of the room before waving goodbye and walking in the other direction.

He knew his way around well enough: he _had_ been staying here for about a week. And with not much else to do, he’d read the map of the building until his eyes stung.

His footsteps echoed off the white walls, the only sound preventing total silence around him. He felt exhausted, hungry, and downright miserable.

He’d lied to Miaya.

After walking for a while, he pushed open a screen door and walked into the garden.

He hadn’t seen the sunlight in so long, he couldn’t help but close his eyes.

The garden was pretty. A fountain sat in the middle, surrounded by mowed grass, flower bushes, stone paths, lanterns and a few benches. It was pretty, he admitted, and thankfully not too big.

Shuichi took a seat under a bench overshadowed by a small willow tree. Birds chirped.

This section was closed off to the public, so thankfully, no strangers were there. None of the Future Foundation members were here, either, so he was completely alone.

The shadow was cooling, and Shuichi closed his eyes and relaxed his mind.

Until a bee began buzzing.

Shuichi clenched his teeth. The buzzing seemed to grow louder.

And louder.

And louder.

Suddenly, a deep masculine scream cut in. Fire roared.

Tsumugi cried next to him, and Kaito yelled. Himiko mumbled fearfully, sadness engulfed the room.

Male laughter boomed around him, Kaito screamed, a dull thud resonated, Kaito coughed.

_Gonta’s dead Gonta’s dead he died it’s my fault Kokichi’s alone he’s alone alone alone alone alone there’s blood blood blood blood Kaito what’s what’s wrong he’s dead they’re dead all of them died gone forever my fault my fault_

_MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY FAULT MY-_

**“SHUICHI!”**

The detective’s eyes shot open, and at once, he was aware of everything.

Tears streamed down his face. There was wetness on his hands. Looking down, he saw blood leaking from a cut on his left hand, and blood on his right hand’s fingernails. He couldn’t feel his legs. His head pounded.

He heard everything. The buzzing had stopped. A bird chirped again. The fountain’s water splashed.

There was someone in front of him. They were male, with spiky red hair and a goatee, with lots of piercings. They wore a white blouse with a red tie and black leather jacket and jeans. He stared at Shuichi, pale blue eyes full of worry.

“Shuichi, Shuichi, breath. Take a deep breath.”

Shuichi hadn’t realized he had been hyperventilating. Feeling nausea trying to overcome him, he steadied his breathing as best as he could, but it trembled every time he chocked out a sob.

It was a few minutes later that Shuichi felt like he was under control. The other male smiled softly.

“Good, good. Scale of one to ten, how are you feeling?”

Shuichi weakly held up seven fingers.

“Do you need water, food, and do you need to lie down?”

Shuichi shook his head.

“Very well. What just happened was perfectly normal. Believe me, I’ve experienced it.”

Shuichi looked up at him, curious.

“Ah, I’m Leon Kuwata. I was a victim of execution in the 51st season of Danganronpa. Now I’m part of Future Foundation.” he paused. “Now, if possible, could you tell me what you saw? You’re under no obligation to say anything, only if you think you can.”

Shuichi was silent for a while. Then, he shook his head.

He hated looking weak in front of others, but just thinking about what he saw threatened to send him spiraling back in. Leon nodded.

“I understand. Now, I’ll bring you back to your room. Is that okay?”

Shuichi nodded.

Leon’s appearance totally contradicted his personality. He looked like a rebel, what with his crazy hair and piercings, but he was very kind.

The detective stood up and wobbled on his feet a bit. Leon supported him just like Hina did, but Shuichi was spaced out the entire way back to his room.

 

 

Darkness enveloped him. Shuichi was in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He’d been trying to fall asleep for what seemed like hours, but he tossed and turned relentlessly.

He groaned.

He’d calmed down since what had happened in the garden, but even though the panic attack had exhausted him, he just could not fall asleep.

He looked to his bed side table. There was a tablet. Future Foundation had given it to him to entertain himself. He took it from the bed side table and turned it on.

Then, opening the search engine, he typed ‘Danganronpa’ with trembling fingers.

At once, he was bombarded with millions of results. He scrolled down, seeing videos, threads, screenshots and more. Shuichi winced.

There was an entire website dedicated to Danganronpa discussions. Shuichi reluctantly clicked the link.

He read each of the thread titles, scanning each word.

_“This was the best season yet!”_

_“This season was terrible, how lazy can you get?”_

_“ooooh man i wasn’t expecting that Kaede death tho!!!”_

_“HAHA i KNEW Kaede would die theres no way theyd actually make the protag a girl”_

_“*SPOILERS* All Danganronpa V3 deaths”_

_“Was making Tenko a lesbian really necessary???? ew no SJW shit in my show pls”_

_“I ship Momoharu so hard!”_

_“Kirumi best mom!!!!!!”_

_“Lmao were the monokubs really necessary? They were just an excuse to make merch”_

_“Ugh I hate Miu so much shes so fucking annoying”_

_“DAMNN THOSE EXECUTIONS WERE BRUTAL THOSE KIDS MUST BE FUCKED UP”_

_“Any news on the 54 th season yet????”_

Shuichi couldn’t take it anymore. These people: they talked like they were just TV show characters and not real people who’d experienced hell.

Shuichi turned it off put the tablet back on the bed side table. There were blue spots in his eyes from where he’d been staring at the light of the screen.

Before leaving the Virtual World, Shuichi had said to Maki and Himiko that it didn’t matter what the world was like as long as they were together.

Now, he wasn’t so sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The entirety of Future Foundation adopts 3 teenagers: more at 8
> 
> Be aware: the Danganronpa thread titles do not represent my opinion, obviously


	3. The String that Ties us Together, Thin like Spider's Silk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The recovery process is long, and Shuichi feels no progress being made.
> 
> Lilac eyes bore into him as a revealed connection shatters his world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back!
> 
> Here's the next chapter yall!!!!  
> Glad to see you like it so far!
> 
> No severe TW this time, however if you see something you think is a TW that should be mentioned PLEASE do not hesitate to tell me! 
> 
> This is my MAIN focus at the moment, so hopefully updates are frequent!  
> Chatfic updates tomorrow! :D
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you enjoy! (also, happy birthday Komaru!!!!!)

“I win.” Maki said blankly.

The three survivors had just finished playing Monopoly, in the lounge. Well, a variation of it. Shuichi hadn’t been paying attention. They also didn’t have any of the money.

Himiko and Shuichi just clapped politely, expressions neutral but exhausted.

When was the last time any of them had slept? Passing out from anxiety didn’t count.

At the other end of the lounge, Sayaka spoke up once the weak clapping had stopped.

“That was… a good game!” she said, forcing a smile, desperate to cut the awkward silence. “You seemed to have fun! Isn’t it great, having fun, the three of you together?”

The air was thick with dejection, with Sayaka’s forced, upbeat attitude not making it any better.

The survivors had been here for two weeks, now, confined within the white walls of Team Danganronpa’s main building. They were slowly getting better, apparently. Shuichi didn’t feel any different: the pit that had appeared in his heart remained.

The Future Foundation members were as supportive and as reassuring as they could be. The survivors had been told that, very soon, they’d be deemed healthy enough to leave.

Of course, the three of them were only interested in the condition of their friends. Three weeks was a while to wait, but they were told that the stabilization process could take up to a month. They still had to wait. And even after that, they’d have to be cared for just as the survivors had been.

Shuichi knew he should have hope: his friends would be coming back! But, he felt it impossible to feel any kind of hope.

No, not that it was impossible: it was that he was too afraid.

Him, and the other two. Every time they’d had hope in the Killing Game, something would come along and crush it to pieces. He thought it better not to have hope at all than to have it and watch it be destroyed. Replacing hope with despair only worsened the despair once the hope was inevitably shattered.

Sayaka smiled even wider, in an effort to clear the horrible tension that infected the room. The survivors just looked at her, eyes tired. Maki stood up silently.

“I’m going back to my room.” she deadpanned. Sayaka’s smile dropped. Himiko and Shuichi didn’t even look at the assassin.

At that moment, however, someone walked in. Shuichi looked up, expecting to see another Future Foundation member, but what he saw made his heart stop.

It was a man, older than the Future Foundation members. Shuichi didn’t get a good look at most of him, because he focused on only one thing.

The Monokuma button on his lapel.

Maki and Himiko must have seen it, too, because the assassin tensed up and Himiko flinched. Maki sat back down.

Out of the corner of his vision, Shuichi saw Sayaka narrow her eyes at the man. He approached the three students, and Sayaka got to feet in an instant.

Shuichi whimpered under his breath and tried not to look at the button. The man smiled at him. There was a slight wild look in his eyes that made Shuichi’s skin crawl.

“Shuichi Saihara, you are one of the winners of the Killing Game, yes?”

Shuichi said nothing.

“Haha, of course you are! How could I forget this season’s star?”

Maki audibly _growled._ Sayaka glared at him. The man continued, with a happy attitude, despite the demoralized look in the survivors’ eyes.

“I’m with Team Danganronpa. We wanted to interview you, on your thoughts on your time in the 53rd season.”

Whenever Future Foundation members asked the survivors to do something, they would _always_ end it with, _“is that okay with you?_ ”. The detective had noticed this quite quickly: they weren’t trying to force them to do anything they didn’t want to. This man, however, did not ask such a thing. His voice, unlike the Future Foundation members, was not soft nor reassuring. It almost sounded harsh, forceful.

Shuichi recoiled against his tone, and closed his eyes. He sudden;ly sensed movement, and Sayaka’s angry voice sounded right next to him a moment later.

“Absolutely not.”

Shuichi opened his eyes slightly, out of curiosity, and looked up at the man. The man looked down at Sayaka, unimpressed.

“And you are…?”

“Sayaka Maizono, of Future Foundation. _You know, the ones who clean up the absolute mess Team Danganronpa makes_.” She muttered the last part under her breath. “This student, as well as the other two, only returned from the Virtual World a week ago! They are in no state to answer any of your questions.”

The man rolled his eyes. “That’s for us to decide.”

Then, he grabbed Shuichi’s arm. The sudden touch made Shuich cry out in alarm. He kicked his feet out, narrowly missing the man’s legs.

None of the others moved. Sayaka stared on in a mix of horror and seething anger, but didn’t say anything.

“Feisty, aren’t you? This’ll only take a minute, no worries. We could even do it in here, if you’d like. The others just have to leave.”

Thankfully, he let go of Shuichi’s arm, but he motioned for the 3 girls to leave the lounge. For a while, nobody moved, before Sayaka muttered to the two survivors. Maki reluctantly stood up, not taking her eyes off the detective. Himiko wrapped her arms around herself, as if giving herself a comforting hug. They were both ushered out by Sayaka, who gave Shuichi a look filled with utter sorrow. Just before heading out of the lounge, she glared at the Team Danganronpa employee with a stare full of such hatred it could kill a man. He didn’t notice.

Then, the lounge was empty, with only the man and the detective occupying the space.

“Alright, so, I have a few interesting things to tell you first.” he said. Shuichi didn’t meet his gaze.

“Your uncle is interested in seeing you.”

Shuichi blinked. “Uncle…?”

“Yeah, your backstory is the same as in the Killing Game. We’ve had some… issues with completely replacing memories in the past. Team Danganronpa’s body count is too high to take any chances now.”

Shuichi looked away again. He didn’t want to listen to this man.

“Your uncle is worried, you know. What with him not agreeing to put you in the 53rd season.”

“…”

“Your biological parents agreed to sign you up. Man, did it cause some drama. Not that your family wasn’t already full of drama.”

“…are you just here to taunt me?”

“Ah, of course not! I’m just here to fill in the blanks. You’re our shining star! And everyone outside wants to know what you think of our newest season.”

_Outside._

“Tell me about my family’s drama.”

“I’d love to, but I have no time. I need to interview you.”

“You said you’d provide answers.”

“I never said that.”

Shuichi closed his eyes.

“I’m sure Future Foundation would tell you. But, anyways…”

He produced a clipboard, paper and pen from thin air.

“Who’s death was most shocking to you?” he began.

Shuichi gripped his pants with his hands.

“Judging by what we saw in this season, it’d have to be either Kaede or Gonta’s, right?”

Shuichi didn’t answer, but his mind raced. He compared all his reactions, but every time he thought back to each death he’d witnessed or discovered, the same level of despair accompanied it.

 “Alright, I’ll just put down Kaede.” the man declared, writing something on the clipboard. “Next question: which execution was the most brutal?”

Kirumi. Definitely Kirumi’s. The maid’s screams echoed through his head once more. He remembered the sickly sight of saws on skin, thorns through hands, body on stone. A deafening crack resonated, the sound of the maid splitting right open as her bloody form collided with the ground.

When she died, Shuichi felt… _something_. He couldn’t identify it, but it was sharp and her green eyes flashed through his mind.

Still, Shuichi said nothing.

“Kaede’s, right? You two had something special going on, let me tell you. We didn’t even have to write anything in for that to happen!” he winked. Then, he wrote on his clipboard again.

The questions didn’t stop there. The entire time, this man smiled, like a school girl just itching for some gossip.

“Did you ever think about killing anyone?”

Shuichi couldn’t take it anymore.

“Go away.” he muttered, dully.

The man just kept smiling. “In a bit, but please, we need to get through these qu-”

“GO AWAY!” Shuichi screeched now, not out of anger, but of sheer fear. The man’s eyes widened. He leaned forward to pat his arm, but Shuichi flinched back, eyeing the man’s hand wildly.

“Shuichi, it’s fine, everything will be fine! The season’s over now, so there’s no reason to worry!” he made a motion, signaling for him to lower his volume.

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” Shuichi yelled even louder. He was vaguely aware of fast approaching footsteps from the outside. His yelling must have attracted attention.

Three people burst through the entrance. Shuichi recognized Sayaka, but two people he hadn’t seen yet were with her.

One was a relatively tall girl with a silver suit and red tie, with long black pants. Her hair was tied in two braids with silver ribbons and square, black framed glasses. Her red eyes burned with intensity.

The other was a short boy with a black suit, white blouse and black tie. His hair was dusty blond and in a short crew cut, and freckles covered his face. He looked much younger, but that was oly because of his baby face and short stature. What was most alarming was the scar that covered his closed right eye.

“Sir,” Sayaka said, “you are harassing this patient. We have permission to ask you to leave.”

The man rolled his eyes before he turned to them. “He belongs to Team Danganronpa. We have the right to question him.”

The silver haired girl’s gaze darkened. “That is wrong. Once the recovery stage commences, he belongs to Future Foundation. You can not do anything to him.”

The three of them glared at him angrily. The man sighed, and picked up his clipboard. He looked at Shuichi. The detective avoided his eyes.

“We’ll continue this another time.” he headed for the door. The three members parted to let him leave the lounge.

Sayaka ran to Shuichi’s side, worry plastered to her face.

“Shuichi, it’s over. You okay?”

The detective nodded. “I’m fine. Just… annoyed. Angry.”

“Understandable,” the smaller newcomer said, “Team Danganronpa’s full of fucking idiots.”

Shuichi looked at the two strangers. “Are you… Future Foundation members?”

The silver haired girl dipped her head. “Ah, yes, you haven’t met us yet. I am Peko Pekoyama, Ultimate Swordswoman.”

The other boy crossed his arms. “Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. Ultimate Yakuza.”

_Those are some… dangerous talents._

“We heard you yell just as Sayaka ran into us. Goddamn Team Danganronpa morons.”

“Nice to meet you…” Shuichi said, trailing off. He looked away. “I’m… going back to my room.”

The detective said nothing else. He stood up, leaving Sayaka’s side and walking through the doorway and out of the lounge. He was aware of two and a half pairs of eyes boring into his back, but he ignored them.

He wanted to be alone right now.

He could hear distant chatter of people nearby, but he heard no sign of Maki and Himiko.

Shuichi caught his reflection in the shiny white walls. That was the first time he’d seen himself since he got here.

And good god, he looked terrible.

His hair was ruffled and out of place, and he looked incredibly pale. His dull golden eyes were glazed and gleamed with tears that had threatened to form earlier.

His lips were cut up from having chewed off excess skin, and there were dark bags under his eyes.

Shuichi turned and kept walking without saying a word.

The detective sighed as he arrived back at his room. He closed the door, and stood silent for a few moments.

There was a plate next to his bedside table. Someone had left him some food. Shuichi ignored it. His stomach growled in protest, but he didn’t think he could enjoy food right now.

His bed had been made, and the sheets had been replaced with fresh new ones.

Looking around the room some more, Shuichi’s eyes landed on something on the bed.

His entire body went rigid.

On his bed sat a Monokuma plushie. It just sat there, mocking him.

Shuichi slowly walked forward towards the bear. It looked just like the demonic bear from the Killing Game. He got on the bed, the mattress caving in under his weight, and picked it up with shaky hands.

There was a tag attached, with a written note. Shuichi read it with one eye open.

 

_To our brightest star!_

_-Team Danganronpa_

 

Shuichi snarled and threw the plushy as hard as he could, at the wall. It bounced off and fell to the floor without a sound.

He buried his face in his hands and wailed loudly, a wail of raw anger. The room swirled around him, and darkness enveloped him. The floor disappeared from under him. His stomach dropped, and he felt like he was falling.

He could hear Monokuma’s laughter echoing around him, taunting, full of despair. Shuichi saw red, blood red, bright red, it swallowed him whole.

The wailing stopped, and Shuichi felt his voice give out. Tears streamed freely down his face.

_Breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe_

The door opened.

At once, the swirling stopped. His room returned to him, and he felt the mattress of the bed squished under his weight. He was aware of another presence, a familiar one.

Shuichi dared to look up. He saw lilac hair.

Kyoko Kirigiri, serious as ever, walked to the side of his bed. She silently sat on the edge, next to him. Her soft purple eyes turned to look at him. Shuichi avoided her gaze.

Then, she stared down at the Monokuma plushy. It still laid there, motionless and quiet on the floor, but Shuichi almost saw the red eye glow.

The girl frowned at the plushy, and turned back to Shuichi, gaze softening.

“Are you okay?”

How many times had Shuichi been asked that? How many times had he lied? How many times had he said, “yeah, I’m fine,” or, “don’t worry”?

Well, he’d had enough of lying.

“N-no.”

Kyoko gave a sympathetic smile. Shuichi had never seen her smile like that. She never doubted the stoic girl cared for the survivors, but she’d never shown it like that.

Without saying anything else, she opened her arms and offered a hug.

For a few moments, Shuichi didn’t move. He didn’t look at her. Then, in one quick movement, he rushed into her arms. She hugged him gently as he buried his head into her shoulder.

She rubbed her hand on his back in a circular motion, but said nothing. Shuichi had started crying again, sobs muffled against her suit.

“The Killing Game takes its toll on you, and it’s completely natural. You didn’t deserve any of this, Shuichi. None of it.” she whispered softly into his ear.

Shuichi only whimpered in response.

“Shuichi, come see me in my office, whenever you can, tomorrow or in the coming week.. I have something to talk to you about, but not now. It’s late, and you should sleep.”

 _Late?_ Shuichi thought. _How long have I been in here?_

Kyoko slowly separated from him. Shuichi crumbled to the bed.

He stared into nothingness, feeling sleep overcome him. He drifted off for no more than a minute.

When he came to, Kyoko was gone, and so was the Monokuma plushy.

 

 

Shuichi stood in front of a wooden door, clenching his fists to his side. It was quiet all around him, and the wooden floor creaked under his feet.

He was in another part of the building: the offices. Team Danganronpa had offices that were used by Future Foundation members when they came to care for the Killing Game participants.

Shuichi tentatively reached out, and knocked lightly three times. There was a brief shuffling on the other side, before the door opened quietly to reveal Kyoko Kirigiri.

She nodded to him. “Come in.” she motioned him forward, and Shuichi closed the door behind him as the girl went to sit at her desk.

The lighting in the room was… unsettling. The only light was provided by a lamp in the corner of the room. It was almost ominous.

She gestured to a chair positioned in front of the desk. Shuichi walked forward, and sat down.

The detective took in his surroundings. The office was surrounded by gray walls and a wooden floor, similar to the one in the hallway just outside. There were no windows, but a ceiling fan whirled above. A laptop was opened on the desk, and the light shone on Kyoko’s face. Files were neatly organized on shelves, along with other books.

A name plaque sat on the desk, with _Kyoko Kirigiri_ engraved on it. An empty cup of tea was placed next to it.

Shuichi met the girl’s gaze. She looked back at him, eyes unreadable.

“You were wondering about your family, were you not?” She asked him, tone so serious it made the boy begin to worry.

“Y-yes…” Shuichi didn’t bother asking how she knew.

Kyoko dipped her head. “Well, I did some digging,” she brought the laptop closer to her, “and I found some interesting information.” She seemed to be reading the screen.

Shuichi tensed up a bit. He never knew what she was thinking, but judging by her stern look this ‘information’ wouldn’t be pleasant.

“The backstory you had in the Killing Game is the same as your actual backstory. How much do you remember?” Kyoko took her eyes off the screen to look at him, eyebrow raised.

Shuichi looked away, and focused on a chip in the gray wall. “Just… just that I was a detective, living with my uncle. I think I’m starting to remember more, but it’s still so… fuzzy…”

“Understandable. Now, I’ve found out more about your biological parents. What do you know about them?”       

Shuichi closed his eyes. “The ones who gave me to Team Danganronpa... I don’t remember too much, just… loud yelling.”

“…Yes. Well, I learned that your mother had a child with another man, and that child was you, Shuichi. Your mother left her husband, who had thought you were his child. You were only eight when this happened.”

Shuichi was silent.

“Your mother went to live with the man she had you with. But, that man had also had child with his wife, a woman who later left him as well. You were around the same age as that child. Do you remember that? It should be the same as your memories in the Killing Game.”

“Well, I… only a bit. It’s coming back slowly, my memory’s still a blur…” Shuichi clenched his jaw. “Why are you telling me this? This isn’t exactly reassuring news.”

Kyoko blinked. “Did you ever meet this other child?”

Shuichi, slightly angry, looked at his shoes. “No. I’d forgotten they even existed. That memory hasn’t resurfaced.”

Kyoko nodded. “Figures.”

“I-Is that a memory they removed?” Shuichi stammered.

“No, I don’t believe you ever, ever met the other child… well, knowing who they were.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Just then, Kyoko’s eyes turned away. She blinked a few times, and her serious expression cracked slightly. She didn’t meet the detective’s questioning gaze.

“Kyoko?”

The girl closed her eyes. “You did meet this other child. Without knowing it was them… you met them in the Killing Game.”

Shuichi took a moment to process what she’d just said. But, once he did, the only word that followed was: “…what?”

 “The other child… you both have the same biological father. That makes them your half sibling.”

“I… met my half sibling without knowing it…?” Shuichi asked quietly. Kyoko just nodded.

“Who is it?!” Shuichi stood up suddenly, voice desperate in contrast to the meek tone he had held before. Shuichi needed to know, he had to know. If there was any chance he was connected to another person who’d suffered like he had, he needed to know who. He stared at Kyoko, eyes wide and pleading.

Kyoko’s eyes finally opened, suddenly. The once soft, lilac pupils now burned through him like fire. There was no malice there: there never was, but Shuichi flinched at the harshness of her gaze. He felt so small under her stare.

But if he’d thought he’d been feeling small then, then that was nothing compared to how he felt when the girl parted her lips and spoke the words that plummeted Shuichi to the ground.

“Your half sibling… half sister… is Kirumi Tojo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLD UP! You thought I'd write a fic that DOESN'T have Kirumi as an important character? Who's fic did you think you were reading??  
> (also, now the title of this chapter makes sense, yeah? ;)))))
> 
> Cliffhanger yippeeeee
> 
> Next chapter soon!


	4. We Are Not Who We Were Before, For We've Lost our True Minds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi spends some time thinking about this new revelation.  
> Makoto decides he is ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE, BLOOD
> 
>  
> 
> shitty title yippee  
> I'm back!  
> This chapter's a bit short, but that's because next chapter's gonna be HUGE.  
> It'll take me some time to write, but I am DETERMINED not to let this fic go inactive.
> 
> Anyways, without further ado, here's the next chapter!
> 
> (also, please read the end notes!!!!)

A loud screech pierced the air and, in an instant, Kirumi was gone.

Her exit had been sudden, and anything but graceful. There was no hesitation, no waiting, just violent desperation. This was the face of the true Ultimate Maid, the one who put her own life on the line to save the people she cared most about.

Kirumi was being chased now. Black figures followed her quickly, yelling protests and holding signs that Shuichi couldn’t read.

The detective felt himself cry out.

“Run! KIRUMI, RUN!”

He didn’t know where it had come from. But at that moment, he wanted nothing more than for the maid to escape.

Soon enough, the others joined in.

Voices of different volumes and pitches surrounded him, each encouraging her to run. The maid didn’t look back at them. Shuichi hoped she could hear them.

His heart rate quickened as the black figures enveloped her. There was no where for her to run now.

The cheering stopped.

Then, a vine appeared from above, and dangled just in front of the maid. Shuichi couldn’t read her expression from where he stood, but an aura of determination practically emanated from her.

She took the vine in her hands.

The maid winced in pain, but began to climb as the protesters flung their signs at her.

Then, she was out of the frame.

The students couldn’t see her, now. They only saw the concrete floor she’d just been standing on. The protesters disappeared as soon as Shuichi blinked.

They had no idea what was happening to her now, but the unsettling execution music boomed around them. They heard a rapid spinning.

Screams erupted into the air. There was a sickening sound of sliced skin.

Shuichi clenched his teeth so hard it gave him a headache. He had already drowned out the other students’ noise. All he could hear was the maid’s struggle.

The spinning and slicing stopped. Shuichi widened his eyes, hopeful, until a snap was heard, followed by another loud scream.

Monodam and Monosuke stood where Kirumi had been before. The tiger striped bear was looking upwards.

Suddenly, Monodam rushed in a shoved him right in the middle of the concrete circle, knocking the glasses of his face. The other bear felt the ground with his paws, searching for them frantically.

_What’s happening? What happened to Kirumi?_

Then, Monosuke grabbed his glasses. But, just as he was about to put them back on, he looked up, with what Shuichi could only assume was horror.

A horrible feeling made its way back into the detective’s chest. Then, Kirumi became visible again.

She was hurtling towards the ground.

Shuichi hadn’t been able to look away before a sickening crack resonated everywhere. Monosuke broke to pieces, and the maid’s body lay on top of him.

Shuichi felt bile rise in his throat.

The usually proper and graceful Ultimate Maid was in shambles. Her uniform was tattered, sliced, ripped, exposing her brutally slashed skin. Her gloves were cut and specked with blood. The pink fluid was splattered everywhere around her: on the walls, on the floor, and on Monodam, who stood off to the side, staring at the scene before him, unmoving.

Gonta choked out a sob, quickly followed by Tsumugi. Miu screeched in fear and fell backwards. Kaito snarled in anger, closing his eyes and looking to the floor. Maki looked away before her expression could be read. Kiyo fiddled with his pendant. Keebo’s eyes were dark. Tenko sobbed, clutching a trembling Himiko in her arms. Angie was praying.

Kokichi’s stared forward, blankly. Shuichi turned to him, desperate to take his eyes off the horrific scene. The Supreme Leader made eye contact with him. His usually bright purple eyes were empty.

Shuichi caught another glance at the maid’s body, feeling an indescribable emotion consume him whole.

_This… this is despair._

 

 

-

 

 

Shuichi jerked upwards violently, finding himself in the bed of his dark room. Sweat dripped down his forehead and his arms twitched spasmodically, his fingers dug into the mattress of the bed. The ending of his dream played on repeat in his head: the horrible, horrible crunch as Kirumi’s body collided with the ground.

Shuichi let out a shaky breath. Horrifying realization overcame him.

_I sentenced my own sister to death._

The revelation that Kirumi was related to him hadn’t fully dawned on him, until now. He’d been shocked yesterday, yes, but his mind had been recovering memories so quickly he hadn’t sat down to really _think._

Now, terror hit him full force.

He tried reassuring himself. Kirumi couldn’t have know they were related, and neither could he. That didn’t make him feel any better, not surprisingly.

He groaned and turned to the bed side table, pressing the on button of his tablet. It displayed the time: 11am.

_How long have I been asleep?_

Shuichi knew that he at least had to get out of bed for a bit. He didn’t want to see the Future Foundation members disappointed, he had to admit.

The tablet screen darkened again as Shuichi got out bed slowly, the frame creaking as he shifted. Still wearing his usual clothes, as he hadn’t changed out of them to sleep, he walked steadily to the door, putting on his shoes and heading out the door.

At once, he was greeted by Makoto.

The brown-haired boy flinched as the door opened, but then relaxed and smiled at the detective.

“Shuichi! I was just about to get you. How are you feeling?”

Shuichi looked to his feet. “Decent.”

Makoto dipped his head, and motioned forward.

“Walk with me.”

Shuichi nodded to him, and they took off, side by side.

Chatter could be heard around them, but they met no one along the way. Shuichi caught Makoto giving him a sympathetic glance from time to time. The detective pretended he didn’t notice.

“Kyoko told me about last night.” Makoto broke the silence. Shuichi’s eyes flicked away. “How are you dealing with… the news?”

Shuichi looked to him again. “I’m doing fine.” he sighed and turned away. “Just… I’m just a bit shocked.”

“That’s understandable.” Makoto smiled sadly. “It was a lot to process.”

“Yeah. But now that I know it… I can’t stop thinking about the trial.”

Makoto blinked. “The second trial?”

Shuichi nodded slowly.

“That was one of the hardest trials to watch.” Makoto agreed. “I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like for you. And now that you know…”

Shuichi turned towards him sharply. “You watched the trial?”

“It was being broadcast on TV.”

_Oh right. TV show._

“I didn’t want to, but we had to watch it. Team Danganronpa made us.”

Shuichi growled softly under his breath. He closed his eyes.

“Do the others know?”

“Hm?”

“Maki and Himiko. Do they know about… her?”

Shuichi didn’t need to specify who he was talking about. Makoto seemed to understand, because he shook his head.

“We haven’t told them, and, well, we won’t. If you want them to know, you should tell them yourself. You know them better than we do.”

Shuichi knew he was right.

Surely, they wouldn’t be too shocked. Kirumi hadn’t been close to either of them. Though, she did try and frame Himiko for Ryoma’s murder. Maki, on the other hand, didn’t really talk to her. Kirumi had died right before her true talent as the Ultimate Assassin had been revealed.

In fact, Kirumi hadn’t been really close to anybody. She cared for them, but she never seemed to try being their friend. There wasn’t anybody she had been particularly close to.

…Actually, that wasn’t true. The only person Kirumi seemed to care for in a non-maid way was Kaede.

It had been painfully obvious. The moment they met the maid in the dormitory, Kaede had instantly grown fond her. The pianist, when she wasn’t with Shuichi, was often with Kirumi.

“…anyways.” Makoto said quickly, snapping Shuichi out of his thoughts. “There was another reason I wanted to talk to you. We’ve deemed you ready to regain your memories.”

Shuichi stopped in his tracks and turned to him sharply. “What?” Makoto stopped next to him, fully turning his body to face him.

“Certain parts of your memory were altered when you were put in the simulation.” Makoto explained. “You seem to be remembering slowly, but there are some things you won’t recall unless those memories are given back to you.”

Shuichi looked at his shoes. “I…”

“Your removed memories would be added along with the memories you have right now, of the Killing Game. It’s… a bit scary sounding, but we promise you, it’ll be fine.”

The detective met his eyes again. “Do I have a choice?”

Makoto smiled. “Of course. You aren’t under any obligation.”

Shuichi was quiet for a moment. Then, he turned away.

“…I’ll think about it.” Shuichi almost whispered, before he walked onwards, leaving Makoto alone with a look full of worry and pity. He headed for the garden.

 

 

-

 

 

To his surprise, Maki and Himiko happened to be in the garden when he arrived. They sat on the grass, in the shade. Himiko seemed to be braiding the assassin’s hair, putting in flowers from time to time. Shuichi recognized the flowers from some of the pots around the garden.

Shuichi hadn’t seen them in 2 days. Last time had been as they left the lounge, leaving Shuichi alone with the Team Danganronpa employee. They seemed to be doing much better than he was, that’s for sure.

Himiko wasn’t wearing her usual uniform, and instead wore a red t-shirt with black shorts that reached to her knees. These clothes must’ve been lent to her by Future Foundation, because they seemed a bit big for her, as the shirt hung loosely on her frame. She wasn’t wearing her magician’s hat, but the blue gem hairpin she usually wore was still clipped to her short hair.

Maki was still in her usual attire, but her pigtails were gone and replaced by the start of a braid with flowers weaved in here and there. The hair that had yet to be braided was splayed all around her.

There was only a hint of fatigue on their faces, shown by the bags that lingered under their eyes, but otherwise they seemed in good shape.

The opening of the screen door must have alerted them, because they both raised their heads and looked at him. Himiko’s face lit up, but she spoke in her usual matter.

“Nyeh… hello, Shuichi.” She said, still holding Maki’s hair in her hands.

The assassin didn’t show the same emotion, but Shuichi didn’t expect her to. “We haven’t seen you in a bit. Sayaka told us what happened with the Team Danganronpa guy. I wish I could have been there.” her gaze darkened and her eyes sharpened. The look of death, as the detective had dubbed it.

Shuichi gulped. Maybe it was a good thing she hadn’t been there.

He walked over to them and sat in the grass as Himiko picked up where she left off. Maki turned to look at him as he settled next to them.

“You doing okay?”

Shuichi smiled slowly. “Yeah… just have a lot on my mind right now.”

Maki seemed to pick up on the tremor in his voice. She eyed him, interested. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Shuichi was suddenly very focused on the ant that was crawling on a blade of grass in front of him. He reluctantly spoke up.

“I… I do have something to tell you guys.”

Himiko stopped in her tracks and turned her head to him. Maki blinked.

Shuichi, now realizing what he’d gotten himself into, regretted the decision he’d made.

_Do they really need to know?_

He sighed. There’d be no point in holding it back from them, he decided. They had the right to know.

“Kyoko spoke with me yesterday. About my life before the Killing Game.”

Himiko looked worried. “Oh.”

Shuichi closed his eyes. How would he word this?

“She told me about my family. I was born from my mother and another man that wasn’t my father. I was eight when he learned that he wasn’t related to me by blood at all. The woman who had been with my biological father left him, and my mother went to live with him. I was separated from both my biological parents.”

Maki’s glare seemed to soften. “That’s… I’m sorry to hear that.”

Shuichi nodded. “It’s fine. But… that’s not all.”

There was silence for a bit before Shuichi continued.

“My biological father had already had a child with the other woman. That child was around my age.”

Himiko finally let go of Maki’s hair, now fully invested in what Shuichi was saying. The braid she hadn’t finished tying turned back to loose hair. “So… you have a half sibling?”

The detective nodded. “And… Kyoko told me who that child was.”

Maki brought her hand to her mouth and bit her nail. “Why are you telling us this?” she asked. Though her words were harsh, there was no anger in her tone.

Shuichi looked at both of them. _Now or never._

“Because you know that child. We all do. They- she- was a victim of the Killing Game we were in.”

They both gasped quietly. Shuichi took a deep breath.

“…Kirumi is my half sibling.”

It didn’t register immediately. For a while, they just sat there, silent, and blinked a few times. When they realized what he’d said, though, their eyes widened.

Himiko stared, mouth agape. Maki seemed a bit less shocked.

“I- I mean, huh?” was all Himiko could say. Maki, on the other hand, eyed him from top to bottom without a word. Understanding seemed to appear on her face.

“…you know, now that you say that… you do look pretty similar.”

Shuichi turned to her sharply. “What?”

Maki gestured towards him. “I mean, your hair is kind of similar. Not in colour, but in style. Your faces are practically identical, shape and all. And your eyes- they’re pretty much the same colour. Not only that, but you both had the habit of hiding one of your eyes. You don’t do that anymore, Shuichi, but you used to when you still wore your hat.

Shuichi just stared at her, as shocked as Himiko was when he revealed who his sibling was. Now that Maki mentioned it, he realized how right she was.

He’d never noticed it, of course, as he’d never actively looked for any similarities. As Maki talked, he pictured the maid in his mind and saw just how similar they looked.

“…damn.” was the only thing that came out of Shuichi’s mouth.

Himiko cocked her head. “That must’ve been shocking news.”

“Yeah, it really was. But… I can’t really feel anything now. Maybe I would’ve been more surprised if I had been raised along side her.” he sighed.

Maki nodded. “Understandable.”

More silence settled between them. Shuichi searched for something else to say, but what else was there? He’d talked enough about his sister.

Then, he perked up.

“Oh, yeah, there’s something else.” Shuichi had just remembered what Makoto had said earlier.

“Nyeh? More?”

The detective fiddled with his hair. It was smooth under his fingers.

“If you want your memories back, there’s a procedure you can go through to get them back.”

Maybe that was a little too blunt.

“…hm.” was all Maki said. Himiko didn’t say anything. Shuichi took that as an invitation to continue.

“They’ll return your memories and add them to your current ones.”

More silence. For a while, nobody spoke. The only sound was the rustling of the trees’ leaves, an occasional buzzing bug and a loud chickadee. Shuichi put his arms to the side and gripped the grass tightly.

It must’ve been over 5 minutes before Maki spoke again.

“That’s… interesting. Are you planning on doing it?”

“What?”

“Getting your memories back.”

Shuichi’s breath caught in his throat. He fumbled for words, but his mind spun.

The memories were hidden, somewhere in his mind, he could feel it. They agonized him. He needed to know his full backstory, and there was no other way to do that than get his full memories back.

Shuichi then remembered the ‘audition’ tapes. They were fake, as Makoto and Kyoko told him he hadn’t auditioned, but one thought terrorized him.

The audition might have been fake, but what if his personality wasn’t?

The Shuichi that had appeared on the screen was a murder obsessed fan boy. His crazed eyes twitched and harboured deep lust for the feeling on blood on skin.

A shiver wracked his body. Shuichi didn’t want to think that his current personality was fake.

But he wanted; no, he needed his memories back.

So, taking a deep breath, the detective came to a decision.

“Yeah. I am.”

 

 

-

 

 

It was time.

Shuichi lied as stiff as a board on his bed, under the covers but still in his uniform. There was mumbling around him, Future Foundation members surrounding him. A machine stood next to him, and he was connected to it by wires. The cords were secured to his head with a helmet that was tightly secured around his brain.

Shuichi didn’t speak. He just watched. His heart rate rapidly accelerated as it dawned on him what he was doing.

_No backing out now._

A figure leaned over the side of the bead and looked him in the eyes. Miaya.

“We’re about to start. Are you ready?”

Shuichi didn’t find the words. So, he nodded slowly, helmet restricting his movement slightly.

Miaya gave him a sympathetic smile. “Alright. Good luck, Shuichi.”

The detective didn’t think he needed luck at the moment.

Just as he was about to continue thinking, something cut through his brain. Agony seized him, but he found himself unable to move. He clenched his teeth.

Then, his thoughts melted away. And, all at once,

 

he _remembered._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a very small hint in this for a new ship that'll be coming in at one point... if you've read any of my danganronpa fics you know exactly what I'm talking about ;)
> 
> God writing the description of Kirumi's execution was HELL AND NOW I'M SAD
> 
> Side note: I need a name for Shuichi's mother, father and uncle. If you have any suggestions, please comment down below :)
> 
> That's it for now! Seeya!!!!


	5. The Boy of Truth and his Life of Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dive into Shuichi's backstory. Discover how he came to live with his uncle, how he became a detective, and how his life was changed by a pair of purple eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slight trigger warning for language and arguments!
> 
>  
> 
> okay so this is a part 1! the next part is the next half of his backstory, ending with him being put in the simulation.
> 
> There are. so many fucking ace attorney references. honestly if you can find them points to you (hint: in the names)
> 
>  oh n also i changed smth. shuichi is 8 when his mom leaves, not four
> 
> im on summer breakkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
> uhm i dont think i cant get ch.5 AVIW out on the 21st, I leave for vacation 2 days later and since my school computer was given back i dont have a personal laptop  
> ill get one soon!  
> i'll also be gone from the 23rd to the 30th, im going to cancun!!!
> 
>  
> 
> also, expect some fics for a different fandom soon! (hinty hint: i reference it a lot in my chatfic :D)
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you like this! im tired and its boiling rn

_Dear Uncle,_

_I don’t want to believe you’d do this to me. You hate Danganronpa. I don’t want to think you’d give me up to them._

_When I come out, please… be there for me. Prove me wrong. Tell me you aren’t responsible for this. You’re the only adult I can trust._

_Please._

_Please, Uncle._

_Shuichi Saihara_

 

 

 

//

 

 

 

It’s a chilly Thursday afternoon when Shuichi Saihara opens the door to his house and steps in, relishing the warmth that comes to replace the cold. He’d just come back from playing in the park, after school. His parents didn’t care if he went alone, even if he was only eight years old.

Following the routine of removing his shoes, opening the closet door and hanging his coat on his usual hanger, he starts to walk out into the living room, until he hears voices.

The voices are loud and full of anger, piercing the air with tension. Shuichi flinches with every belted word.

Mom and Dad were fighting again.

This happened way to often. Whether mom would chew out dad for never being around, or dad wondering where mom had been, there was never a peaceful moment in this household.

But today, it was different.

The words were harsher, louder, more malicious. This wasn’t a typical couple’s quarrel, or a harmless argument.

Shuichi usually never listened to their fights. It was always over the same thing. But, something prompted him to flatten himself against the wall of the entrance and listen in.

“You’re being unreasonable, again!”

“Me? Unreasonable?! You’ve been lying to me all these years, and I’M the one at fault?!”

That was dad. His deep voice was raised in seething fury. Shuichi trembled.

“You have to understand, you were never around! He was there when YOU weren’t!”

“That isn’t an excuse to go and be a fucking slut!”

Shuichi clasped his hand over his mouth to muffle his gasp. That was a word he knew never to use. Why was dad saying it if he was the one who told Shuichi never to say that?

“Excuse me?!” Shuichi’s mom reared back in shock, which quickly morphed back into anger. She began to walk away.

“Where are you going?”

“With him.”

Dad scoffed. “Yeah, I’m sure that’ll work out well. And don’t even think for a second that you’re taking Shuichi with you.”

“Fine with me! He has a daughter, and she’s better than my pathetic excuse for a son could ever be.” she spat the last words.

Shuichi held his breath.

“Daughter? More like slave! I’ve seen that child around before, and god, she looks awful! Don’t think I don’t see her bandaged arms!”

Mom walked faster towards the door and passed Shuichi, who was pressed against the wall, crying. She didn’t even look at him.

“Goodbye!” She snarled at dad, eyes blazing, before storming out the door and slamming it so hard it made the closet door shake.

Dad groaned inhumanely and buried his head in his hands from where he stood, alone, in the living room.

Shuichi slowly stepped out from where he’d been hiding, trying not to sob. He carefully approached his father without a sound, before looking up at him, tears in his eyes.

“Dad? Where is m-mom? Why is she gone?” his young voice trembled, making his words difficult to hear.

Dad took his hands off his face and looked down at Shuichi. Their eyes met.

Shuichi was almost bowled over by the stare his father had fixed him with. His eyes, glazed with tears, burned a whole through his head. There was anger, betrayal, sadness, swirling like a storm in his irises. He glared at his son with absolute malice and hatred, pure, raw hatred for his entire being, his entire life.

Shuichi choked and stumbled backwards, before booking it out of the living room and up the stares leading into the hallway. He stopped in front of his door and barged into the room, slamming the door behind him and crumbling onto his bed in a flurry of sobs.

 

 

 

//

 

 

 

A few weeks later, the boy is busy reading on his bed.

There’s a knocking on his bedroom door, prompting Shuichi to look up from his book. He’d been engrossed in a murder mystery novel that had been recommended to him at the school library.

Shuichi blinked slowly, before murmuring a quiet _come in,_ then bracing himself. He waited for his father to barge in, angry and yelling, but he was met with silence, accompanied the sound of the opening door.

The person who came in wasn’t even his father. The man was tall, and older than his father, but they looked similar. His eyes were pale green and his hair was short and brown, graying slightly at the front. He wore a cyan tie with a tan blouse, gray dress pants and black dress shoes.

Shuichi widened his eyes. “…uncle?”

His uncle came to the side of his bed and smiled softly at him. “Shuichi, you’re coming with me.”

“Huh?”

“You won’t be living here anymore. You’re going to live with me from now on.”

Shuichi blinked, dumbfounded. “Why?” he asked.

His uncle’s smile dropped and his eyes flicked over to the open door of Shuichi’s bedroom.

“Pack some of your things. We’re leaving now.” he said.

Shuichi was confused, but couldn’t help the seed of hope that was planting itself in his heart. He was being taken away, away from his father!

The boy liked his uncle. Shiryu Saihara was well renowned as a successful detective, having solved many cases involving theft, murder, assault and more. His uncle would sometimes come over, and Shuichi was very interested in his job as a detective. That was part of the reason why he’d started reading murder mystery novels, even though he was only eight.

Shuichi stood up from the bed, bookmarking the page of his book before rummaging through his closet and packing a few clothes into his school backpack along with his school books. He didn’t have much clothing to bring, as his father never took him clothes shopping, but he made do.

He heaved as he put the backpack on, struggling under its weight, before the weight disappeared as his uncle took the bag in his hands. Shuichi smiled gratefully at him.

Then, Shuichi looked at his room one last time as they left and walked down the stairs and into the living room.

Shuichi’s father was there, staring into space. The young boy stared at the back of his head. He stood for a few moments, debating what to say, before he chose to say nothing at all. His uncle’s face drooped. “Taiko…” he whispered quietly, low enough for only Shuichi to hear.

They silently stepped out of the house, where Shuichi saw a car belonging to his uncle. The man whipped out his keys and unlocked the door, motioning the boy forward and into the back seat.

Shuichi cast one final glance at his house, and at his father through the window, who was still motionless. The car revved up and rolled down the driveway, and Shuichi looked away, making that the last time he’d seen his _‘father’_.

 

 

 

//

 

 

 

Ten-year-old Shuichi Saihara was a bright kid. Though quiet, shy and reserved, he truly shone bright like a star.

The bell rang for recess, signaling the end of the day. Kids filed out of their classes, chattering while heading outside to wait for their parents.

Some played soccer, others played hopscotch. Shuichi was almost knocked right over by kids who’d already initiated a rowdy game of tag. The boy sighed, before leaving the recess yard and walking onto the sidewalk outside the school.

His uncle’s apartment was only a two-minute walk away, and the path was easy.

He followed the routine of entering the apartment building, walking up the stairs, stopping in front of the door marked 105, taking out the spare key his uncle had gave him, opening the door and walking into the small apartment.

The apartment was cozy, something Shuichi enjoyed. There was a TV with a beige couch posed in front of it and a coffee table. The floor or the apartment was a gray carpet that turned to brown wood in the kitchen. The counter of the kitchen gave a view into the living room, making it seem less like two separate rooms and more like one large room. Pictures were spread on the walls.

Shuichi dropped his bag in the living room after removing his shoes and leaving them next to the door.

“Uncle?” Shuichi called. There was no response.

So, he wasn’t home. That didn’t surprise Shuichi. The busy detective often worked cases late, leaving Shuichi home alone until his return. This wasn’t a problem. He’d learned to be independent ever since his mother left and his father avoided him.

The boy stepped into the kitchen, decided he wanted a snack. He made a beeline for the fridge, before noticing that the kitchen table had papers spread all over it. Curious, he approached the table before realizing what these papers were: case files. His uncle’s case files.

Shuichi knew he shouldn’t, but curiosity got the best of him. He pulled out a chair from the table and sat down. He took one of the files in his hands and opened it. It was for a theft. The first paper Shuichi saw was a description of what was stolen.

A jewelry store had been robbed, several rings and necklaces being taken. Prices were displayed beside the stolen items, and the total worth of what was stolen was quite a big amount. Other pages detailed suspects, alibies, security footage, details about the day of the crime, stuff like that.

Shuichi found himself getting lost in the pages. He scanned every detail, every word, taking in every bit of information. He’d always been interested by his uncle’s work, but this was the first time he’d actually seen all the meticulous work that went behind it.

By scanning the file, he got a clear idea of the crime in his head. Theories swam in his mind, from the most likely of suspects from those presented to how the crime could have been pulled off. He caught small mistakes in certain parts, making mental notes of these errors.

Shuichi had always been told he was smart. Well, not always. His parents hadn’t really cared about his school life or his grades. Most kids would be thrilled not to have their parents constantly looming over them, chastising them about poor test results or lack of studying, but Shuichi didn’t think the same. Parents like that clearly care about the success of their child, but parents like Shuichi’s showed how little they did.

His parents had never told him he was smart, but not that he was dumb, either. They didn’t treasure him, nor resent him. They just… didn’t care about him at all.

But when Shuichi moved in with his uncle, the man praised him constantly over his high grades in every subject. Not only him, but his teachers as well. He was the highest of the class, as they told him often. The other students would often call him a teacher’s pet, but he didn’t really care.

Realizing he’d gone off on a thought tangent, he quickly went back to scouring the files again.

His mind went back into focus and remained that way for an undetermined amount of time, until the sound of an unlocking door brought him back into focus.

…a little too late.

Shuichi flinched right out of the chair he had been sitting in and slammed the paper files shut. The rapid closing of the cover caused a stray paper to glide right off the kitchen table, landing right in front of his shocked looking uncle.

“Uncle! You’re h-home!” he said, too loudly.

His uncle’s expression shifted into an emotion Shuichi could not pinpoint, which worried him for two reasons: one, he was usually very good a reading expressions, and two, he couldn’t prepare himself for whatever reaction his uncle might have. Will he be angry? Frustrated? Fuming? Shuichi tensed up.

His uncle looked slowly to the files, and then to Shuichi, fixing his gaze on him. The boy expected to find the same fire that had been in his father’s eyes the day his mother left.

But, he saw no fire. Only… amusement.

His uncle started chuckling, soon beginning to laugh louder. Shuichi blinked a few times. The man approached him, looking down.

“Interested in my files, huh?” he said. “You’re a special kid, y’know. Most boys your age wouldn’t bat an eyelash at ‘boring detective work’.”

Still unsure whether or not his uncle was angry, but feeling his anxiety begin to disappear, Shuichi spoke up.

“It’s not boring! It’s… really cool.”

His uncle pat his head, and ruffled his hair. Shuichi couldn’t help but giggle. The man crouched down to his eye level.

“I’m not angry, of course not. And I’m glad you’re interested in my work!”

Shuichi nodded. “Yeah, and I found a few mistakes and came up with a few theories and-” Shuichi realised that might’ve been too much. His uncle froze for a bit.

Then he grinned the biggest grin Shuichi had ever seen.

“You’re gonna be a great detective one day, kiddo. I just know it.”

_Detective?_

Shuichi thought about it for a moment.

When adults asked him about what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would shrug his shoulders. He hadn’t really stopped to think about it. Most boys his age already had an idea in mind: athlete, police officer, firefighter, boxer, something cool. Shuichi wasn’t like them.

The idea of living out his days in a hectic job like that was unpleasant. He wanted a job he enjoyed, and he had to admit, the thought of becoming like his uncle crossed his mind more than once.

Now, after seeing just how interesting that job would be, he looked into his uncle’s pale eyes, and smiled.

“Yeah. A great detective.

 

 

I’m gonna be the greatest detective the world’s ever known!”

 

 

 

//

 

 

 

“Do you think they’ll like me?”

Twelve-year-old Shuichi Saihara fidgeted anxiously, uncle by his side.

Today, the man had decided it was time for him to meet his coworkers. They stood right in front of the door to his uncle’s detective offices. On the other side were some of the greatest detectives in the country.

And Shuichi was terrified.

He’d been looking forward to this day for a long time. He’d been reading more detective novels, doing research, and perusing his uncle’s old case files again and again. He thought he’d be ready for the day his uncle announced he would meet his coworkers.

He wasn’t.

“Shuichi.” his uncle turned to look down at him. Shuichi had gotten taller. “You’ve been looking forward to this for ages. They’ll love you! I don’t see why they wouldn’t.”

Shuichi looked to the ground as his uncle continued.

“They’ll be thrilled to meet the bright young boy that solved the arson case.”

Only two months ago, an arsonist had popped up in the city, burning buildings and leaving seemingly meaningless messages. Detectives had been hard at work for a month, interviewing suspects, decoding the messages, setting up stake outs.

They were out of leads, and four buildings had already burned, ranging from convenience stores to restaurants and even a motel.

Shuichi just happened to find the file in the living room one day, read it, and _solved it_. His uncle had been thrilled: the culprit was found and arrested only three days later. His uncle had talked about the brilliant detective who’d solved the case, but hadn’t said exactly who had solved it.

He also didn’t mention that the ‘brilliant detective’ was a _twelve-year-old boy_.

“I guess… you’re right.” Shuichi sighed, but he was still unsure. “But what if they’re angry at me? They’d been trying to solve that case for ages, and I just swooped in and stole it from them! I-”

“Nonsense.” His uncle smiled at him. “They were ecstatic that the case had been solved.”

Shuichi looked away.

“Let’s go in, okay? Everything will be fine.”

The boy waited a few seconds, then turned back to his uncle and nodded. He dipped his head and slowly opened the door and stepped into the office.

The air was cool, and the office looked just like any office. Desks were scattered around the room, with computers at each one and swivel chairs. Files and binders littered each desk, and nearly every chair was occupied. These were his uncle’s coworkers.

“Everyone!” his uncle spoke loudly, gaining the attention of all the detectives in the room. Shuichi stepped sideways a bit to hide behind his uncle, but the man gently put his hand on his shoulder to draw him back out. “This is my nephew, Shuichi Saihara. The one who solved the arson case.”

Shuichi didn’t miss the surprise in their eyes, as they looked him up and down. One of them, a broad shouldered man who appeared to be his uncle’s age, stood from his chair and stepped forward to stand before him. He bore a wide smile and his eyes were bright.

“Nice to meet you, fella’. I’m Keisuke Itonokogiri.” He held out his large hand, which Shuichi took to shake. The hand was so much bigger than his, and the grip was firm and strong.

One by one, the detectives came forward to greet him, all showing him the same warmth and kindness. Shuichi had been a bit intimidated by them, but after a while, he found comfort in their presence. Soon, he had been seated at an empty desk, the other detectives surrounding him. They chatted for a while, asking questions about how he solved the arson case.

“So, you clearly seem interested in detective work. What made you so interested?”

Shuichi explained the day he had stumbled upon a case file in the kitchen, two years ago. How he’d gotten so wrapped up in the files, and how he just knew that this was what he wanted to be when he grew up. One of the men chuckled.

“That’s just like you, Shiryu. Leaving your case files laying about!”

“Well, unlike you, Ittetsu, this fine you boy actually solved a case because of it. How long has it been since your last solve?”

All of them laughed. Ittetsu punched his uncle lightly in the shoulder. Shuichi giggled a little.

They talked for a while longer, and Shuichi was really enjoying himself. Soon, his uncle stood of with a huff, and spoke over the other detectives.

“Well, we should probably get going. This kid’s got homework, and I’ve got case files lying around back at home. I’m sure you’re all busy as well, so we’ll let you work.”

Shuichi stood up and followed his uncle out the door of the office. He turned his head to them and waved his hand shyly. A chorus of goodbyes followed him out of the office.

On the way home, Shuichi was in a great mood. His uncle must have noticed, because he looked down at him and smiled.

“I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time.”

“I had a lot of fun. I like your coworkers.”

Shiryu laughed. “And they liked you. I could tell.

Shuichi nodded. They went quiet for a while.

“I’ve been thinking.” Shiryu began. “Work has been piling up, and I could really use a hand in solving cases.”

Shuichi looked up at him, eyes wide.

“I could really use an assistant.”

“You mean-”

“You’ve already proven yourself as a wonderful detective. How would you like to become my official apprentice?”

The boy stopped in his tracks. He blinked at his uncle, dumbfounded. He was silent for a few moments.

Shuichi had wanted to become a detective for two years now, ever since he read his uncle’s case files. He’d asked questions, read more and more files, watched detective TV shows and gotten more and more obsessed with the idea. Solving the arson case had given him a rush of excitement he hadn’t felt in a long time. Talking with his uncle’s coworkers as if he were one of them was a feeling he couldn’t even describe. He wanted this. Now, it was his time to shine.

He broke out into an enormous smile. Eyes sparkling, he nodded vigorously.

“I’d be honoured!”

 

 

 

//

 

 

 

Police sirens surrounded him; red and blue lights flashing non stop. There was grunting and cursing, followed by shuffling.

15-year-old Shuichi Saihara watched as a man was put in handcuffs and steered towards the police car.

The man was in his thirties, with bags under his eyes. His long, raven hair hung on his forehead, between his crazed blue eyes. His pupils darted around quickly, but once he was guided past Shuichi, those blue eyes met the detective’s. Shuichi attempted to hold his gaze, but failed once he saw the fire. The anger.

The malice. Shuichi gasped.

Hidden in the irises was scorching fury. The same fury he’d found in his father’s eyes the day his mother left.

“You.” The man in handcuffs hissed. But before he could say anything else, he was taken away and stuffed in the backseat of a police car.

Shuichi was left motionless, staring at the spot where the man had once been. His skin crawled.

Someone approached him, and he felt a hand on his shoulder. The sudden contact sent a shock through his body and he whipped around, the hand ripped from his shoulder. He faced his uncle, who looked on in shock.

“Shuichi? Are you okay?” He asked. The young detective breathed heavily, moving his head to meet his eyes.

He saw fire again.

Yelping, he covered his face with his hands, and closed his eyes, but the glare had been seared in his mind.

“I… I have to go…” Shuichi yelled, and he bolted away. He was only vaguely aware of his uncle calling out after him as he ran blindly, far from the sirens, from the police, from the glare that both burned through him and turned him to ice.

He entered the apartment and rushed into his room. It didn’t take long for him to find his hat. The hat he’d stopped wearing since he was ten. He’d wanted to change, to be less afraid, less anxious.

He smiled bitterly at the memory. _So much for changing for the better_ , he thought as loosened the strap and put the hat back on.

 

 

 

//

 

 

 

Only a few days later, when Shuichi learned the truth about the murder, he felt even _worse_. The young detective was curled on the sofa of the apartment in the dark, eyes stinging from glaring at the TV.

The door to the apartment opened: Shuichi saw the dark shape of his uncle. Shiryu quietly padded over to sit on the sofa next to him.

“Hey, Shuichi.”

Silence.

“I have some good news for you.” Shuichi could hear the forced optimism in his voice, but didn’t miss the pity buried beneath those words. He heard a paper crinkle, and he shifted his eyes slightly and saw a letter between his uncle’s fingers.

“This is for you. Do you… want to read it?”

There was no movement for a few moments. Slowly, Shuichi reached out and took the letter from his uncle’s hands. He took a second to open it, then squinted to read it. The darkness in the room and pain in his eyes didn’t make it easy, but he managed to read it.

 

 

_To Shuichi Saihara,_

_We are pleased to announce that you have been given the title of **Ultimate Detective**! Your hard work and dedication to your talent is inspiring, and we are excited to see where this leads you! Keep up the good work!_

_The Ultimate Hunt_

 

 

Shuichi blinked a few times. Ultimate Detective?

Shiryu must have read over his shoulder, because he began to radiate excitement. He placed his hand roughly on Shuichi’s shoulder, smiling.

“You’re an Ultimate! Shuichi, you’re an Ultimate! This… this is… I have to tell my coworkers!” he then looked over in concern. “Is that okay?”

Shuichi muttered in response. “Sure.”

Shiryu looked sad. “Hey… why aren’t you excited? Aren’t you proud of yourself?”

“Mhm.”

“Come on now, Shuichi.” His uncle sighed. “This is an exciting day for you! You can forget what happened a week ago. You’re gonna be famous!”

“ _Forget_?” Shuichi echoed, shocked. He looked to his uncle, still not meeting his eyes. “How can I just _forget_? I exposed him, but now look! He got the revenge he wanted; now he’s behind bars! My exposing of the truth did more bad than it did good! He… he despises me!”

Shuichi bared his teeth. He could barely see his uncle’s face as tears began to cloud his eyes. Not waiting for a response, Shuichi bolted upwards and headed to his room.

The window in his room was open, showing a bright blue sky void of clouds. He closed the curtains roughly; the wind caused a paper to fly of his desk. He closed the door, now leaving the room in darkness.

He felt himself melt into the bed.

 

 

 

 //

 

 

 

The coffee shop was empty: Shuichi was thankful. Now sixteen years old, the boy sat, arms folded on the table, at a booth in a quaint coffee shop.

The waiter recognized him; they all did. _Hey look, it’s the Ultimate Detective_ , or, _Isn’t he the guy who put than man behind bars?_ Shuichi wasn’t deaf.

He hadn’t taken a new case since then. It had been 6 months (he had been 15 at the time, but close to his birthday) and the detectives at work were starting to get annoyed. They pretended to be worried about him, but they avoided him.

Shuichi knew he was being stupid. Work was more important than his dumb feelings, putting bad guys in jail was more important than him feeling “bummed out”. But he couldn’t help it.

He groaned, earning a look from the barista. Shuichi didn’t read his eyes, but he saw half concern, half annoyance in his frown. He was used to it by now, but his heart still ached at the thought of being disliked.

Maybe the barista was annoyed because he was wearing a cap indoors. That was also a possibility.

The barista then disappeared in the back of the shop, and Shuichi was now totally alone. It was very quiet, save for the rain pounding against the windows. It was quite soothing, actually.

Shuichi scrolled on his computer, and sipped his coffee, black. The bitterness was strong, but he didn’t gag.

Then, the bell at the entrance rang, and the rain got louder as the door opened. It closed, muffling the downpour again. Someone entered the shop. Shuichi spared this no thought.

Until that person sat across from him, in the seat in front of him.

Shuichi looked up to see a boy, seemingly his age. He was short, and wore what seemed like a white button shirt and black tie. His skin was pale, cheeks slightly pink. His hair was unruly and dark with a slight purple shine. His eyes were violently violet, and Shuichi found himself momentarily dazed.

“You’re Shuichi Saihara, right?” His voice was higher than Shuichi’s, with a very slight rasp to it. The stranger stared straight at him, and Shuichi felt weak under his gaze.

“Uh… yes.” Strangers knowing his name didn’t surprise him anymore. He was an Ultimate, after all.

The boy smiled. It was a nice smile, though partially mischievous. “Ultimate Detective?”

He nodded.

“You haven’t taken a case in a while, hm? Well, I’ve got something good for you.”

Shuichi perked up, not wanting to admit he was curious.

“I’ve got top secret info about… D.I.C.E.”

The detective froze. D.I.C.E. was a well-known group of pranksters who pulled petty crimes like graffiti and whatnot. They were completely harmless, but it was largely suspected that their leader was up to no good.

“How…?”

“I don’t exactly hang out with the greatest folks.” the stranger admitted with a laugh. “I’ve got some great dirt about their leader.”

Now Shuichi was interested. He momentarily forgot about his lack of cases. He vowed never to take another murder case, but D.I.C.E. was a perfect case to take. And, if this boy knew about the group and their leader, he might end up working with him…that, he wouldn’t mind. Although, he barely knew him.

“…I’ll think about it.” Shuichi began. He met the stranger’s purple eyes, feeling no fear for the first time in a long time. “What’s your name?”

He chuckled, and then held out a small, slim hand. Shuichi reached out and shook it.

“I’m Kokichi. Kokichi Oma.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE COMES THE OUMASAI
> 
> seriously. a lot of it
> 
> i'm sure you can tell where the plot is going,,,


	6. Lieless Loving and Loveless Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of Shuichi's backstory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no this didn't take me months to write what are you on about
> 
> uhmmm I split the backstory up again. next chapter is FOR SURe the last piece of that

“Really?”

The office was cool at this time of day.

Shuichi stood facing his uncle Shiryu, who sat at his desk in the detective office. His coworkers were currently at their own desks.

Shuichi nodded. “Yes. I’m sure.”

Shiryu frowned. “You haven’t taken a case in ages, and all of a sudden…” he stopped himself, washing the frown away with a smile. “Well, I’m happy you’re getting back into it.”

Shuichi didn’t say anything, so his uncle continued.

“I still want to know why, though. D.I.C.E. and their leader haven’t caused any trouble in a while, so what spurred you on so suddenly?”

Shuichi thought back.

He thought back to the boy in the coffee shop.

“…I was looking over some of your old case files the other day and I happened to come across one about theft. It made me think of the bank robbery a year ago, the one pulled off by the leader of D.I.C.E.”

“ _Assumed_ to have been.” His uncle corrected. “Though, I guess I understand.”

Something made Shuichi not mention Kokichi. He didn’t know why: nothing would change. Maybe he didn’t want Kokichi to be hounded by the police. If they found out he knew something, they’d surely want to question him.

His uncle stood up stiffly and held out his hand.

“Well, the case is yours. Though we don’t have any leads, currently. I could assign you a partner-”

“No need.” Shuichi interrupted him, taking his hand. Shiryu grinned. They shook hands.

“Right, then. Don’t let this case get in the way of your schoolwork, okay?” he said. Shuichi nodded, pulling his hand away. He turned and headed for the door.

“Thanks.” He said.

Stepping outside of the office and closing the door, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a text message from an unknown number, though Shuichi knew who it was.

 

 

 

 **###-###-####** : and and!!!!! How’d it go????

 

 

 

Shuichi couldn’t help but smile.

 

 

 

 **Shuichi Saihara** : It went fine, he said yes. How did you get this number?

 

 **###-###-####** : trial and error!

 

 **Shuichi Saihara** : sure

 

 **###-###-####** : I’m outside!!! Come out!!!!

 

 

 

Sure enough, when Shuichi stepped outside the building, Kokichi was waiting for him, smiling. Today, he was wearing a purple t-shirt.

“Heya!”

“Did… did you follow me here this morning?”

He put his finger to his lips. “Maybe I did.”

Shuichi scoffed, and began walking back home. The smaller boy followed.

“If I may, why are you so interested in this? I thought you only wanted to give me info and go.”

asked the detective.

Kokichi put his arms behind his head and opened one eye. “Hm? Oh, yeah, well, you know.”

“No, I don’t.”

Suddenly, a phone buzzed: Kokichi’s. He stiffened, pulling it out of his short pocked to scan the screen, and immediately speading past Shuichi.

“Well, I’m happy you got the case! I have to go now! Bye!”

Such a sudden exit left Shuichi stunned, so he said nothing as Kokichi rounded the corner of a building into an alleyway.

He also didn’t question why he ran _into an alleyway_.

He sighed, now walking alone. It was still early in the morning, so Shuichi headed back home.

It was Sunday, and it was time to begin working on the case.

 

 

 

Shuichi opened his locker to gather his other belongings, stuffing the books in his bag. Lockers slammed around him. The bell had signalled the end of the day.

The detective felt a shoulder on his back. He turned, finding himself face to face with a tall, spiky purple haired boy wearing a galaxy t-shirt under his school uniform vest.

“Heya, Shuichi!”

The boy smiled. “Hi, Kaito. How do you think you did test?”

Kaito chuckled nervously. “Eh, probably failed.”

“Don’t say that!”

“Ah, but you don’t ever fail tests, huh? Mr. Ultimate.” he smirked.

Shuichi sighed. Kaito never failed to bring up the fact that he was an Ultimate. Shuichi knew it was because he was proud of him, but he couldn’t help but flinch every time he called him that.  

It reminded him of how he got the title, and what came of it.

Just then, Kaito tapped his shoulder, and Shuichi turned back to him, slightly annoyed. The taller boy was pointing not-so-subtly towards the other side of the hall.

“Hey, look.”

Shuichi followed his gaze, which landed upon a radiant blonde girl with music note clips in her hair. Kaede Akamatsu.

But that wasn’t what, or who, was interesting. It was the person next to her, someone Shuichi had never seen before.

It was a girl, around their age, with short grey hair. She was taller than Kaede.

She was speaking with the pianist, though something about her posture suggested this wasn’t a casual conversation.

Kaito whispered loudly in his ear. “Who is that?”

Shuichi whispered back. “I don’t know.”

“Does she go to this school?”

The detective eyed her. “I’ve never seen her around before. Plus, she isn’t in school uniform.”

“True, true. She’s speaking with Kaede. Are they sisters? They sorta look alike, if you look close enough.”

“But, they look around the same age, and they’re definitely not twins. Plus, I don’t remember Kaede ever mentioning a sister.”

Well, actually, Shuichi never really spoke with Kaede. They were on good terms, but conversations never went further than “How are you?” or “How was your break?”

He didn’t know Kaede very well. All he knew was that she was pretty much a piano prodigy. She’d won competition after competition, and some speculated she was on her way to receiving her own Ultimate title.

He also knew her family was _really_ rich.

Kaito nodded. “Just a friend, then?”

At that moment, the stranger turned her head slightly, to meet Shuichi’s eyes. He was met with one green eye, the other covered with hair.

He flinched away from her gaze. Like he always did.

The girl’s gaze trailed off him and back to Kaede. The blonde girl zipped her backpack and skipped away, the other girl following.

Then they were out of the school.

“Huh.” Kaito blinked.

Something told Shuichi that wasn’t an ordinary friendship.

 

 

 

Kaito and Shuichi always walked home together, since they didn’t live too far apart. Kaito was chatting nonstop, and Shuichi was fine with just listening.

“You up for a study session at my place?” said Kaito. “I really need to get my grades up.”

Shuichi frowned. He _hated_ turning down Kaito’s invitations, but he had work to do.

“Sorry, I’ve got case work.”

Kaito grinned and pat him on the back. “Look at you, detective! Must be nice being an Ultimate.”

_No, not really._

Shuichi turned to him. “Aren’t you trying to take the astronaut training exam? That might earn you your Ultimate.”

“Yeah! My friend’s still busy forging the papers-” then he flinched. “Shit, you’re a detective, I shouldn’t have said that!”

Shuichi laughed. “I won’t tell.”

Kaito laughed as well.

Soon, they stopped in front of Shuichi’s apartment building. After waving goodbye to Kaito, Shuichi headed up to the apartment.

As expected, his uncle wasn’t home. He was greeted by the usual silence, and a dark apartment. The blinds were drawn

But someone else was.

“Hey Sai!”

Shuichi screamed, backing away from the intruder in a frenzy.

“Kokichi!” he yowled.

The shorter boy was lying across the sofa, relaxed, and grinning. He seemed very amused by Shuichi’s surprise.

“Wh- what the hell are you doing in here?!” yelled Shuichi. His shock was wearing off, quickly being replaced by annoyance.

“Geez, don’t be so scared!” the boy pouted. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

Shuichi slowed his breathing, walking over to the couch to put his bag down, not meeting Kokichi’s purple eyes. “Mostly, I’m wondering _why you’re here._ ”

“Thought I’d drop in for a nice visit!”

“How did you even _get_ in?”

“The door was unlocked! You really should try and lock it. What if a thief snuck in?” he laughed. “Thankfully, I’m not a thief!”

“But you _did_ sneak in.” he sighed, now standing facing him. “What do you want?”

Kokichi faced him. “Can’t we just hang out as friends?”

Shuichi felt his patience give out.

“Look, I don’t really know you. And I’ve got work to do, so please, leave.”

Kokichi cocked his head. “That’s coold, Sai. But, whatever. I’ll just keep this new top-secret info about D.I.C.E. to myself.”

Shuichi whipped around. At the same time, Kokichi smirked.

“ _That_ got your attention.”

Shuichi got closer to him, albeit a bit wary. But, no matter how much he didn’t want to give in to Kokichi’s sly grin, he needed information. “What do you know?!”

“Ah, nothing. Just that D.I.C.E.’s leader is planning on robbing a jewelry store some time this week.”

Shuichi blinked. “How did you even find that out?”

Kokichi seemed to hesitate, very briefly, before he broke out grinning again. “I told ya, I hang out with the wrong crowd!”

Shuichi paused for a moment, lost in thought. Then, he sighed.

“Alright, fine. Tell me what you know, but after, you’ve got to leave. I don’t want my uncle seeing you here.”

His uncle surely wouldn’t have had a problem with having a friend over, since Kaito came over all the time. However, Kokichi was unpredictable, and if his uncle found out that Kokichi was giving him information after he’d told his uncle he was working alone, he’d be upset that he lied.

Kokichi, unbothered, snickered. “What, hiding me like I’m a forbidden lover?”

That caught Shuichi by surprise. He couldn’t suppress the blush sneaking across his face. He looked away.

“I’m kidding, Sai. I totally get it. I’ll just tell you this, n’ I’ll leave.” Kokichi also seemed slightly disoriented, as if his own words had thrown him off balance. He took a deep breath.

“So, apparently, they’re planning on stealing a precious gem from the jewelry place across the street from here.” he began. “It’ll be at night, obviously, sometime this week.”

Taking a moment to process the information, the detective frowned. “Can’t you just tell me who you’re getting this information from? You say you hang out with the ‘wrong crowd.’ Just tell me who they are!”

Kokichi gasped. “I can’t! They’ll get me killed!”

Shuichi blinked. Kokichi burst into laughter.

“Kidding! I’d tell you if I could, really, but my info is just back-alley whispers.”

“So… how do we know if it’s true?”

“We don’t!” Kokichi exclaimed. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

The detective sighed, for what seemed like the millionth time.

 

 

So, every night of that week, Shuichi would visit the jewelry store, and stake out. For the first four days, nothing. Not even an attempt. No signs of movement.

 _Kokichi was probably lying_ , he thinks to himself, _or the theft was called off_.

That was what he was thinking to himself, late Thursday night, near the alley next to the jewelry store. He stifled a yawn. He hadn’t slept since then.

He was losing hope, and fast. Paired with the fact that Kokichi hadn’t read nor answered any of his messages since the day he snuck into his apartment, the boy never showed up unannounced to his house like he had before.

_Maybe he really is tricking me._

He himself was starting to look suspicious. His uncle’s car was always parked right in front of the jewelry store. He was sitting in the front seat, keeping watch. To everyone else, he’d look like either a criminal waiting for the chance to strike, or a teenager living in a car. He certainly didn’t miss the annoyed expression of the store employee who closed up every night.

 _Night 4_ , Shuichi wrote in his notebook. He’d started documenting his case in a journal to show his uncle how he was doing. Of course, he omitted Kokichi.

 _No luck. I’m getting suspicious glares from people passing by a night, though. There are no employees left for me to talk to, since I’ve interrogated them all. There hasn’t been a single sign of movement, and no one has reported anything. Then again, my intel did not come from the most reliable source. ~~Kokichi,~~_ he furiously crossed out the name, **_they_** _told me that the robbery would happen sometime this week, at this store, but perhaps they were lyi_

Shuichi noticed the smallest hint of movement in the alleyway and threw his journal to the side, scrambling out of the car. Without thinking, but making sure to grab his flashlight, he dashed into the alley just in time to spot something slip around a corner.

 _Too late to turn back now_ , he thought as he chased after it. He really should have thought this through: maybe it was just a cat.

_Or, I just caught the public’s very first glimpse of the Leader of D.I.C.E._

Shuichi was lucky he hadn’t lost his target. The shadows cast on the walls of the alleyway indicated something was indeed there: and it was human shaped.

Whoever he was chasing never left the alley. They winded around corners, sometimes passing through areas they already had.

 _This isn’t right_ , thought Shuichi. _If they were so intent on escaping, they could have done it by now._

The detective got the idea they were toying with him.

He didn’t want to play into their hands. He felt like a mouse in a labyrinth, observed by scientists. But, if there was a chance he could see the leader with his own eyes, he had no choice.

Out of breath, he stopped in a place where the alley opened to a clearing. He coughed and wheezed, not used to so much physical activity.

He was sure he lost them. _Damn it._

There was a voice that didn’t belong to him. It came from above. Slowly regaining his breath, he titled his head upwards.

Someone was standing on the roof of a building.

Not too high, but just high enough for them to be unrecognizable and silhouetted against the moonlit sky.

The figure laughed mischievously. Shuichi tried pointing his flashlight at them, but the light did not reach the figure at such distance. He saw they wore a flowing cape.

“Nishishi!” they laughed. Their voice was pitched but masculine, but age was unidentifiable. “Had fun, detective?”

They sounded like the stereotypical TV villain. It made it hard to take them seriously. Even still, Shuichi played along.

“You’re D.I.C.E’s leader!” he yelled, eyes narrowed.

They scoffed. “Duh. Isn’t that why you were chasing me? Or was it tag? In which case, you suck at tag! Nishishi!”

When Shuichi pictured the leader of of D.I.C.E, he pictured a strong but mysterious figure, never revealing themselves in public. He did _not_ picture _this_.

Even so, he knew not to underestimate them. Despite their size and childish manner of speaking, they’d pulled off countless robberies without ever being caught, not ever being seen, not a single trace left behind.

“Welp, detective, looks like you failed this time!” they seemed to reach out their hand.

They were holding a gem. The gem Kokichi had told him they were going to steal.

_How? The alarm- they didn’t-_

“Don’t think security cameras or alarms are going to stop me!” they yelled. “There’s a reason I haven’t been caught yet!”

Shuichi is speechless. Dread weighs on his shoulders like a ton of bricks.

Letting loose one final string of laughter, they wave their cape in front of their face and disappear, seemingly vanishing to darkness, as if they flew off into the night sky.

The jewel had been stolen. The chase was for nothing. D.I.C.E’s leader escaped.

_And it’s all my fault._

 

 

Despite the stake out being over, Shuichi still did not get any sleep.

His uncle was sympathetic. But, no matter how many times he told him, “It’s not your fault,” Shuichi didn’t believe it.

Only his uncle knew what happened. He was the only person he told.

Now, sitting on his bed, in complete darkness in the godless hours of the morning, he was writing in the journal.

_Leader of D.I.C.E: Presumed male, higher pitched voice. Estimated height of around 5ft. Seems to wear a flowing cape. Acts very childish, but is cunning, sneaky, and wicked. Unknown eye, skin and hair colour. At least 16 years old._

_Does not show himself in publ-_

Shuichi suddenly stopped. The leader had never show himself in public, not ever. So, why had he then? Why had he stopped and shown himself to Shuichi?

He was too tired to hypothesize. He just continued writing.

_-ic. Despite that, he showed himself to me._

_ Why? _

 

It was Sunday morning when Shuichi’s phone buzzed. He almost didn’t look at it, but something nagged at him. He was glad he gave in, since the text he had just received came from _Kokichi Oma._

 

_Kokichi: hey heyy!!!! wanna meet up? coffee on me! ;)_

Shuichi stares at his screen, not sure how to feel. There are a thousand things he wants to say: namely, _where were you?_ and _are you asking me out on a date?_

Instead, face blank, he types in,

 

_sure._

 

Despite having not asked what coffee shop they were meeting at, Shuichi went straight to the one they had met at, and found the purple haired boy sitting at a table. Kokichi noticed him almost instantly and beckoned him forward with the same mischievous smile.

Shuichi obliged, sitting before him, unsure of what expression to wear to get his feeling across. Kokichi, ever innocent but still too knowing, winks at him.

“Great to see you again!”

Shuichi blinks. “Yeah. Not like you tried to answer any of my messages.”

“Aww, did you miss me, Shu?” Shuichi stammers at the nickname. “I’m not always available, you know! I had crimes to commit!”

Shuichi is silent. He’s learned not to give in to any of his lies. However, the silence is a bit too long, and for a moment he wonders if there’s truth to what Kokichi said. Just as he began to think, Kokichi laughs him out of focus.

“Juuust kidding!”

“Enough of this. Listen, why did you want to meet? And, ‘because I wanted to’, isn’t an acceptable answer.”

Kokichi nods. “Okay, okay! So, I’ve got some more juicy info!”

Shuichi can’t help but get his hopes up.

“D.I.C.E’s leader now goes by a name: the Phantom Thief!”

 _How childish._ The leader’s immature and childish manners reminds him of Kokichi.

“The name’s whispered to hell and back in the alleyways,” he continues, “everyone’s talking about that robbery.”

Shuichi swallowed. “Did… my name come up?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it!” Kokichi exclaimed. At that moment, the waiter arrived with two coffees: one pale as moon, sugar sprinkled on top, the other black as night. Kokichi took the pale one as the waiter left.

Shuichi blinked at the remaining cup. Kokichi sipped his before speaking.

“You know you’re supposed to drink it, right?”

“You remembered how I take it?”

Kokichi scoffed. “Plain black isn’t that hard to remember!”

 

These meetings became regular: once or twice a week, they’d meet for coffee at the usual spot, chatting and discussing. Kokichi would always give him updates if there were any, but usually, they’d talk about anything.

At this point, it felt like they were going out on dates. He was sure everyone else thought so. Every time he left the house to get coffee, his uncle would raise an eyebrow at him, but not push it. Kaito pretty much thought he had a girlfriend now.

Two months had passed since the robbery, and they sat in the shop on a nice Saturday evening, enjoying their coffees. A sudden commotion caught their attention, and they looked up to see that the patrons were looking at the small tv on the wall with great interest. The person on TV wore an odd suit- black on one side, white on the other.

_We are pleased to announce that Team Danganronpa is looking for ultimate to participate in our upcoming season- Danganronpa 53!_

The voice was so odd, high pitched and obviously edited. Yet, it sent a violent chill down Shuichi’s spine

He’d heard about Danganronpa. He never watched it, though it had been recommended to him. His classmates told him how much he’d like it, it being a murder mystery show. Season 51 had a detective character: Kyoko Kirigiri, very famous detective, the previous holder of the Ultimate title.

The way the patrons cheered, it’s as if they’d won the lottery. Shuichi looked back to see that Kokichi had his eyes narrowed, staring at the TV with hate Shuichi had never seen the boy harbor before.

_Sign-ups and auditions start tomorrow! Ultimates, we hope to see you there! Puhuhuh!_

And the screen switched back to regular news.

At once, the shop began to bustle, excited chatter filling the room.

Kokichi eyed him. “You ‘signing up?”

There was a darkness in his eyes that Shuichi had never seen in the small boy. His bright purple eyes burned into him. His shoulders were tense.

Shuichi reared back in shock, rattled by his sudden change in demeanor. “What? No, never!”

There was silence. Kokichi looked away, as if gathering his thoughts, not meeting the detective’s eyes.

“Good,” was all he muttered.

Shuichi looked back at the TV, now displaying regular news. The café still buzzed with discussion.

 _New season…?_ he thought. _Auditions?_

Shuichi remembered the participants of the last season. They’d somehow gotten a royal and even a Yakuza heir to take part.

_How did they get them to sign up?_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments motivate me
> 
>  
> 
> so please motivate me
> 
>  
> 
> danganronpa discord: https://discord.gg/VTmqBEh

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Expect the next chapter soon-ish :P


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